DASSEL, MN (May 2, 2011) – A funeral service for retired Evangelical Covenant Church pastor Gerald Alger, 74, will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at Calvary Church in Walker, Minnesota. He died April 26.
Alger was born December 27, 1936, in Onigum, Minnesota, at the first Indian hospital. He was the son of Gerrald Donald and Frelove Victoria (Mohawk) Alter. He graduated from St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College) with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Theology. He attended North Park Theological Seminary and was ordained in 1983.
He married his wife, Delores “Sue”, on September 13, 1963.
Alger served his internship in Garrison, Minnesota, at Little Flower Mission, and then went on to Glad Tidings Ministry on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. He founded Faith Mission Ministries of Minneapolis and served there five years. The couple moved back to Cass Lake and started Faith Mission Indian Ministries, the Faith Mission Anishinabe Bible Chapel, and founded the Anishinabe Bible Camp on Sucker Bay which they operated for 20 years.
In addition to his wife, survivors include three daughters: Denise Alger, Holly Alger, and Kandy Vogelpohl; two sons, Bruce Alger and Mike Hinck; 13 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be observed from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday at the Dennis Funeral Home in Walker and again at the church on Saturday, one hour prior to the service. Covenant minister Wallace Pratt will be among three pastors conducting the service.
On-line condolences may be sent through the Dennis Funeral Home website.
Thank you everyone who supported my parents mission work. And Thank you to everyone who prayed with us and shared our grief in the passing of my Dad. I just want to share with everyone what he did on his last day. On April 25th, he picked up loaves of bread and delivered them to the natives, he then went to a funeral and counseled a perishoner on the loss of his father, after that he counseled with a young couple that he was going to perform their wedding, after that he came home trimmed his grape vines, then counseled his neighbors – as their daughter is terminal, after that he came home finished trimming his grape veins, and visited with his wife (my mom). Before he went to sleep, he called my sister and her daughters to pray with them. He then went to bed. Before he goes to sleep, he tucks himself into bed (with all 3 of his dogs (he called them his children). And then he prays – with his his hands stretched to Jesus. When my mom found him the next morning, he was still tucked in bed, with his 3 dogs wrapped around his head. And his hands were perfectly at his side. We believe his arms were stretched to Heaven, praying when Jesus called him home. No signs of struggle or pain, they just simply dropped to his side. My Dad was ready to go home, he has always told me – “he would go running to heaven”. And it comforts me knowing “Jesus came for him” as he was praying.
My Dad was a blessing too many and “Thank You” to all who recognize the man of God he truely was.
God Bless all of you.
Kandy Vogelpohl
I was not fortunate enough to know Gerald Alger. Perhaps the story of his long and broad service with native Americans has been told elsewhere. I for one would like to know more. I and many others I am sure, are intensely grateful for such worthy service and will be glad to know more about him and his work. Blessings on his wife and family and all who have benefited from his ministries as they grieve their loss.