Bio

My father was hoping my mother would wait one more day before bringing me into this world.  His birthday is August 2 and he thought it would be nice to have one of his children born on the same day.  I don’t know what it says about me, but I didn’t cooperate and entered this world on August 1, 1949.  My parents farmed the same farm my dad’s grandfather farmed.  This farm was located 7 miles North of Madison, South Dakota.  I am the middle child of five.  I have two older brothers and two younger sisters.

After graduating from Lake Central High School in 1967 I enlisted in the US Army.  I trained to be an infantryman and went to jump school and became a paratrooper.  I spent most of 1968 and the first part of 1969 in Vietnam serving with Company B 3rd Battalion, 187th Airborne of the 101st Airborne Division.  I received the Purple Heart for wounds received during a firefight on October 2, 1968.

After completing my enlistment I bought a farm 4 miles West of where I grew up.  For the next four years I operated a dairy and farmed more than 2000 acres.  It was while I was farming that Lona and I gave our lives to Jesus and joined the Seventh-day Adventist church.  In 1973 we went to Union College to study for the ministry.  I graduated in 1976 and accepted an invitation to pastor in my home state of South Dakota.  I pastored there from 1976 to 1983 with a two year break to attend the seminary at Andrews University receiving my Masters of Divinity.  I pastored in Claremore, Oklahoma from 1983 to 1986.  We moved to Virginia and pastored there from 1986 to 1995.  We spent 34 months in Tappahannock/Carter Memorial District and the remainder of our time in New Market where I was Senior Pastor of the church on the campus of Shenandoah Valley Academy.  We took up our duties here at Madison Campus in November 1995.

Family

My wife Lona and I have been partners since January 24, 1970.  We have literally known each other all our lives.  Her parents farmed the land adjoining my parent’s farm.  We always liked each other, but it wasn’t until I returned from a tour of duty in Vietnam that I realized there was no need to look any further than next door (a mile and a quarter) for the right gal to share life with.

We have three grown children.  Eirik was born on June 30, 1972.  He made his appearance about three months early, weighing in at 2 lbs. 13 oz.  It was truly a miracle that he survived (the odds were less than 1 in 10) but he has grown to be a fine young man.  He married Laurie Ruckle last December and they live in Hermitage.  Eirik works for Kurzynske and Associates as a elecrical engineer and Laurie is a paralegal.  Trevor joined our family on March 4, 1976.  He married his high school sweetheart, Amanda, on Mother’s Day 1997.  They have our two grandchildren, Alex and Emily.  Trevor teaches at the Adventist School in Norridgewock, ME.  Sissel was born on July 3, 1981 while we were at a family reunion 200 miles from home. She married Jeremy Jacob on June 26, 2005. The currently live in Chicago, IL. She's Associate Director of Materials Management for Adventist Health System in the Chicago area and a die-hard Titans fan.

Hobbies

I have been involved in all kinds of outdoor activities my entire life.  I grew up fishing, hunting & playing ball.  While I still enjoy playing ball, my mind and body sometimes fail to communicate preventing me from doing certain physical aspects of the game that once came without thinking.  So golf has become my game of choice when I find the time.  I hope to learn to scuba dive as I have really enjoyed the few times I’ve been snorkeling.