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A Life Well Lived
The Rev. Dr. Luverne Charles Tengbom
May 30, 1919 – January 21, 2018
“For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21)

The Rev. Dr. Luverne Tengbom passed away peacefully on January 21, 2018 at Pilgrim Place in Claremont, CA.  A Memorial Service will be held February 23, 2018 at 10 am at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Claremont, MN.  His internment will be May 30, 2018 at 2 pm on a hillside in the Chisago Lake Lutheran Church Cemetery, in Center City, MN. Born of Swedish American parents, Carl J. Tengbom and Ida C. Carlson, Luverne drew his first breath in the family farm house in Poskin, MN.  He was baptized into the Christian faith at the Ebenezer Lutheran Church, rural Almena, Wisconsin. Luverne attended Barron High School, Barron, Wisconsin, graduating with honors.  He attended the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, MN. While in Bible school he began a lifelong interest in photography and he started his own photography business in Bible School.  He attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN graduating with honors and a B.A. in 1943.  In 1945 he graduated from Augustana Seminary in Rock Island, Illinois with a Masters of Divinity.  In 1962 he completed a Masters of Theology from Luther Seminary.  In 1977 he completed a Ph.D. from the Hartford Theological Seminary, Hartford, Connecticut. During his college years he worked in various Lutheran churches in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario, Canada.  He did his seminary internship in Evanston, Illinois. In 1946 received and accepted a call to serve First Lutheran Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  He served there for 10 years.  He held numerous positions.  Secretary, Board of Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute – 1947-1956.  Secretary, Canada Conference, Augustana Synod, 1948-1956.  Secretary, Lutheran Home for the Aged, Wetaskinwin, Alberta, 1950-1956.  

While at First Lutheran he met and married Mildred Hasselquist a missionary who had just returned from Nepal and India.  Following their marriage on May 23, 1953, Luverne and Millie accepted a call from the Board of World Mission of the Augustana Lutheran Church as professor of Biblical studies at the Lutheran Bible Institute at Mwika, Tanzania, East Africa on the lower slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  He served there from 1956-1967.  While in Tanzania he was Principal of the Lutheran Bible School, Moshi, Tanzania 1959-1961.  President, Board of Lutheran Theological Seminary, Makumira, Tanzania, 1964-1966.  He also served on the Building Committee for the Lutheran Church, Moshi, Tanzania and Consultant Radio Voice of the Gospel.  He was also Board member of Radio Voice of the Gospel.

In 1967 Luverne accepted a call to be Professor of Biblical Studies and Missions at the Lutheran Bible Institute, Los Angeles, CA, from 1967-1985.  While at LBI he was Academic Dean and Member of the Commission on World Mission, Pacific Southwest Synod, Lutheran Church in America.

In 1985 Luverne was called as Professor of New Testament and Missions at Trinity Theological Seminary and Singapore Bible College.  

Returning in 1987 he taught four more years at the Lutheran Bible Institute, Anaheim, California.

In 1991 he entered with his wife, Mille, the retirement community of Pilgrim Place in Claremont, CA.  Luverne’s last pulpit supply was when he was 90 years old.

Luverne and Millie traveled extensively through-out their lives.  Many of these travels were in connection with work within the church.  three weeks to Turkey and Greece.  Two weeks to Israel and Jordon.  Eight days visiting churches in India, Nepal, Hong Kong, and Japan photographing and articles for the Division for World Mission and Ecumenism, LCA; 40 days visiting churches in Liberia, Ghana and Kenya, further travels in Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, England, Scotland and Egypt.  They also traveled extensively through-out the United States and Canada.

Luverne published with Millie two books – Fill My Cup Lord and Table Prayers.

He has commissioned students to serve in Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, New Guinea, Ethiopia, Norway, Guyana, Peru and Brazil.

Luverne love and cherished his family.  Luverne leaves four living children.  Son, Rev. Daniel and Rachael Tengbom of Kennewick, WA; Daughter Judy Tengbom and her husband Barry Collins, Mckineyville, CA; Daughter, Rev. Janet and Rev. Ron Warnes of Warren, Minnesota; Son, Rev. David Tengbom of Los Angeles, CA.  He also leaves 12 grandchildren, two grandchildren in law, and soon to be three grandchildren in law and one-great-grandchild.

Luverne was a wonderful husband, generous and gracious father, excellent pastor and teacher, caring grandfather and great-grandfather.  He will be deeply missed.  The memories of his life live on in each of us.

“It has been a deep joy to serve the Lord for over 60 years in various capacities.  The Lord is good and I am grateful to Him – ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life ‘ – (John 3:16 LC Tengbom)

At Luverne’s request memorials and gifts are suggested to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Pilgrim Place or the World Mission Prayer League.

Condolences can be sent in writing to:  Rev. Janet T. Warnes, 712 North Montana St., Warren, MN 56762.  Emails can be sent to:  [email protected]  (Email for Rev. Daniel Tengbom) or [email protected] (Email for Rev. David Tengbom).  Blessed be his memory.  Arrangements by the Grandstrand Funeral Home in Lindstrom, Minnesota.  Condolences may be expressed online at www.grand strandfh.com

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