MISSIONARIESMildred Tengbom - Missionary Author
Greta Ekstand
Berit and Luther Eriksson
Nora Cockburn
MILDRED TENGBOM - MISSIONARY/AUTHOR
To include this lady in the history of FIRST LUTHERAN is a joy as she has surely made an impact on many souls throughout the world. She was born June 6,1921, near Center City, Minnesota, a very strong Swedish community. Her parents brought her to be baptized in the Lutheran faith at Chicago Lake Lutheran Church, Center City on August 14, 1921. She received her primary education in a rural school near Center City and attended high school at Lindstrom, Minnesota. She the attended the Business Institute and Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis after which she went to Cypress College in Cypress, California, and the University of Oklahoma. She also spent 2 years studying creative writing at Iowa State University.
Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis was fortunate to have a lady such as Mildred as a church secretary. She established a Christian bookstore in Racine, Wisconsin, and also one in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, that is still operating at this time.
In 1945, she received a call from the World Mission Prayer League, a division of the Lutheran Missionary Society, to do missionary work in Nepal. Returning to America on furlough, she stole the heart of FIRST LUTHERAN's Pastor Tengbom. They were married in Minneapolis on May 23, 1952. IN 1956, she returned to mission field when Pastor Tengbom accepted a call to serve in Tanganyika, East Africa.
In her early childhood, Mildred was interested in writing and when in high school was editor of the school paper. She put aside her writing skills while doing missionary work in India. In later years, while living in Hartford, Connecticut, she began writing for publication. Since then, she has written many books and articles mostly of a religious nature.
GRETA EKSTAND
Greta is a daughter of Dan & Vivan Ekstand and sister of current member Irene Tester. She spent her childhood on a farm in Conrich, Alberta. Her parents brought her to the Lord through baptism. She attended Sunday School at FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH. Greta was confirmed in 1947. Following her graduation from Crescent Heights High School, she spent a brief stint at Garbutt's Business College. After graduation, she entered the Calgary General Hospital to begin her nurses training. She received her R.N. degree in 1952.
Greta was very active in the church and for many years felt the call of God. She enrolled in the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis in the fall of 1952. There she took the missions course and served as a school nurse.
In the spring of 1953, she accepted a call from the Board of American Missions of the Augustana Lutheran Church to serve in the Isamidi Turer fields in Tanganyika, East Africa as a missionary nurse. On October 1, 1953, a commissioning service for Greta was held at FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH, her home church, with many friends and relatives attending.
Greta sailed from New York City on October 14, 1953, on the Queen Elizabeth, and from there to Africa on the SS Uganda. After dedicating her life to the Lord in the mission field of Africa for close to a decade, she returned home. In 1958, Greta married William Mathewson in Calgary. They now reside in Truro, Nova Scotia.
BERIT and LUTHER ERIKSSON
Berit Eriksson, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. E.C. Eriksson was born on February 24, 1934. She attended public school near Cremona, Alberta. She took grades 9 and 10 by correspondence, and then attended business college for ten months.
After four years of secretarial work, Berit felt a strong desire for a more satisfying job. She enrolled in the Canadian Bible Institute for two years. During one of those years, she worked in the Dean's office. She graduated with her future husband on April 29, 1956.
Luther Eriksson was born March 20, 1924. He received his public and high school education at Czar, Alberta. After taking a short course at the University of Alberta, he went to the Peace River country to reach school. Not happy in teaching, he worked inn the logging industry for seven years. He Spent another five years working on a large oil-grilling rig.
During these years, he felt an inner calling to serve the Lord in some other way. In 1956, Luther gave his life to his Savior. He enrolled in and graduated from the Canadian Bible Institute in Camrose, Alberta.
Berit and Luther received a call to serve as missionaries in Nepal, India, a short distance form Mt. Everest. The World Vision Prayer League had a school there for training missionaries. It offered a two year course in Bible training and also in crafts and industrial arts.
The school operated a small garden farm which provided food as well as income for the students. There was a demonstration plot for teaching soil conservation and ways to improve strains of plants and animals. They developed better tools and other simple aids for the Nepal farmer. It was there that the students gained the knowledge and skills that they would pass on to framers in other communities. Berit, because of her past experience and skill in bookkeeping, was a great help to run the work in the fields.
After serving in the mission field for many years, Berit & Luther Eriksson returned to Canada where they resided the rest of their lives.
NORA COCKBURN
Nora Cockburn was born in Assiniboia, Saskatchewan on July 3, 1936. She was the daughter of Clara and Woodrow Cockburn, senior members of FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH. She received her early Christian training in Sunday school and was confirmed on April 11, 1954.
Nora graduated from the College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan in 1959. Her first employment was with I.B.M. in Toronto.
Nora was called to the mission field early in her life. She was commissioned on July 1, 1962 by the Rev. Arthur C. Ruths, Secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of the LCA. She left London, Ontario, for Moshi, Tanzania where she served under the direction of the Bishop of the Northern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
She occasionally visited with Pastor & Mrs. Tengbom who were also on the mission field about 30 miles away.
After she returned to Canada, she lived in Whitehorse but returned to Calgary in 1992. Nora battled cancer for nearly 13 years. During that time, she was a great inspiration to all as she continued to give compassionate care and support to others. She went to be with her Lord on May 11, 1994.
