Pastor Jerome Engseth Dies

CORNUCOPIA, WI (August 9, 2013) – Retired Covenant pastor Jerome (Jerry) Engseth, 82, died Sunday. A memorial service was held Thursday at the Luther Manor Chapel.

Engseth was born in 1931 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Martin and Dorothy (Johnson) Engseth.

Engseth graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and later graduated with a master’s of divinity from North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago.

He married Helen Lois Swanson in 1955 in Minneapolis.

Engseth served as a teacher at Covenant Bible College in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He ministered as senior pastor at Floral Park Covenant Church in Floral Park, New York; Northwest Covenant Church in Mount Prospect, Illinois; and Milwaukee Covenant Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

He was the developer pastor for Church of the Redeemer in Bowie, Maryland; the Evangelical Covenant Church of St. Louis, Missouri, which included Church of the Master in St. Louis, Community Covenant Church in Kirkwood, Christ Covenant Church in Florissant; and Hope Evangelical Covenant Church in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He continued to work as pastor part-time through the mid-1990s. Engseth also was dedicated to promoting human and civil rights.

He took courses at Union Theological Seminary in New York City; Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia; Marquette University in Milwaukee, and Oxford University in Oxford, England. He wrote two self-published books, Just Mark, concerning biblical criticism and the gospel of Mark; and Swedish Men Arguing about God, regarding reflections on Pietism among Swedish-American immigrants.

He also enjoyed dramatic activities and wrote many plays.

In addition to his wife, survivors include a son, Martin; two daughters, Toren and Ellen; and two grandchildren.

Private interment was in Cornucopia, Wisconsin. Memorials may be sent to the Milwaukee Evangelical Covenant Church community outreach program, 7727 W. Center St., Milwaukee, WI 53222.

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Comments

  • Dear Lois and family
    Only recently we heard that Jerry has left us. We feel with you. But we are aso grateful to have had the opprtunity to be a friend of Jerry. To remember many moments of warm meetings. Our thoughts are with you.
    Britt and Gunnar Ahgren

  • Dear Family,

    A fine friend and loyal Covenanter has left us. I have such good memories of Jerry. He and I used to talk theology and Covenant politics at Covenant gatherings. He was a a warm, bright and gracious colleague in the ministry. God bless his memory and comfort you in your loss. (I never realized he had published a couple of books. Is it possible to buy a copy of the book about Pietism?)

    Wanly in Christ,

    Craig E. Anderson

  • I was greatly saddened by the news of Jerry’s death. He was a good friend and fellow pastor through the years. Peace to his memory.

  • I will miss Jerry. Good memories of the time he was our interim at Bay Covenant in Green Bay in the mid-nineties. I loved his mind, his heart, his humor. I’m thankful for the hope of Heaven.

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