MERCER ISLAND, WA (September 17, 2015) – Retired Covenant pastor Dwight E. Elving, 99, died Thursday.
A memorial service will be conducted at Covenant Shores Retirement Community in Mercer Island at 2 p.m. October 11, what would have been his 100th birthday.
Dwight was born in Excelsior, Minnesota, on October 11, 1915, to Rev. Jacob and Annie (nee Johnson) Elving. He attended Minnehaha Academy, but graduated from Lindsborg High School in 1932 while his father was serving as pastor of the Lindsborg Covenant Church.
He earned a bachelor’s degree at Augsburg College and a divinity degree from North Park Seminary. He served his seminary internship at First Covenant Church, Seattle, in 1939-1940 where he met his future wife, Esther Holmlund. He was ordained into the Covenant ministry in June 1942 and was married the same year in Hoquiam, Washington. He later earned a Master of Christian Education from McCormack Theological Seminary.
Dwight and Esther served Covenant churches in Davenport, Iowa; First Covenant Church in Sacramento, California; Bridgeport, Connecticut; Ravenswood Covenant Church in Chicago; First Covenant Church in Kansas City, Missouri, and the Kingsburg Covenant Church in California. He also served a year as director of Christian Education for the denomination
He retired in 1980 but served interim appointments at Milwaukie Covenant Church in Portland, Oregon, and Kent (Washington) Covenant Church.
Esther preceded him in death in 1988. Survivors include his daughter, Carol Anderson; and son Ron Elving.
Memorials may be made to the Rev. Dwight E. and Esther H. Elving Scholarship Fund at North Park Seminary.
Thanks be to God for the faithful ministry of Dwight Elving!
I remember Dwight Elving from North Park days – I may have had him as counselor at Shagbark Camp one summer. I have often wondered hearing the name Ron Elving so often on NPR if there was a relationship, and the last issue of the Companion confirmed that he is Dwight’s son. It is a small world. Peace to his family and his memory.