LINDSBORG - Carl Wendell Berggren, 91, of Lindsborg, passed away Friday, July 11, 2014. He was born August 31, 1922, the son of Martin and Agnes (Nelson) Berggren, in rural Leonardville, Kansas.
Wendell was a retired ELCA Lutheran pastor. He was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church.
He married Betty Gates on February 2, 1951, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg, Kansas.
He was preceded in death by brothers Kenneth, Robert, and Ralph Berggren, and sisters-in-law Elaine and Fern Berggren.
He is survived by his wife Betty of the home; son Gerald and wife Brenda Berggren and daughter Naomi and husband Dirk Durant, all of Lindsborg, daughter Mara and husband Larry Peterson of Ceresco, Nebraska, son Erik and wife Cheri Berggren of Topeka, and son James and wife Connie Berggren of Lenexa; sister Norma and husband Bart Coutermarsh of Leonardville, sister-in-law Jackie Berggren of Mitchell, South Dakota; sister Lylas Schultz of Ellinwood, and brother Maury and wife Bonnie Berggren of Manhattan; grandchildren Lars, Anders, Nels, and Vins Berggren, Earl and Carl Peterson, Kensy and Quinton Berggren, and Harrison and Jonah Berggren; great grandchildren Wilson and Ethan Peterson, and Wyatt Peterson; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was a graduate of Leonardville Rural High School in 1939. From 1940 to 1941, he attended Strickler Business College.
From 1941 to 1943, he worked as an auditor at Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe in Topeka.
Wendell served in the United States Army as Company Clerk in Lae, New Guinea, from 1943 to 1946.
From 1946 to 1947, he returned from World War II to work again as an auditor at A.T. & S.F.
Wendell attended Bethany College from 1947 to 1951, earning a BA degree in History and Education. From 1951 to 1952, he attended the Lutheran Bible Institute. In 1952, he entered Augustana Seminary, and was ordained in the Augustana Lutheran Church in America, receiving the Master of Divinity Degree in 1956.
During his years of schooling, he worked part-time as a dishwasher, file clerk, male attendant (at Bethphage Mission), janitor, general clerk, handyman, parking lot attendant, hospital orderly, and mail carrier.
Wendell served on the Bethany College Board of Directors from 1969 to 1973.
In 1973, he became a certified piano technician.
After his ordination in 1956, Wendell served pastoral calls at the following churches: Gethsemane Lutheran and Stockholm Lutheran Churches in Ong and Shickley, Nebraska; Messiah Lutheran and Maria Lutheran Churches in North Platte and Hershey, Nebraska; St. Paul Lutheran Church in Glasco, Kansas; and the St. John Lutheran Churches in Dunlap and Persia, Iowa. After retirement, he served as interim pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Avoca; Zion Lutheran Church, Gowrie; and Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Audobon, all in Iowa. After moving to Assaria, Kansas, he served many churches in the area as supply or fill-in pastor. From 1995 until 2004, he served part-time at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Salina, Kansas.
He loved the church hymns he had memorized growing up, and could still sing many of them in his later years. He also enjoyed Luther League, farmwork with all his brothers, playing cards, collecting antique glassware, working in the yard and garden, speaking Swedish, reading books on religion and theology, attending Bible studies, singing in the Messiah Chorus as long as he was physically able, being with friends and family, and sharing the Good News.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 26, 2014, at Bethany Lutheran Church, Lindsborg. Burial will be at a later date at Walsburg Lutheran Church, Leonardville.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to MOSAIC (formerly Bethphage Mission), in care of Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina 67401.
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Sandra Muchow, 76, of Salina, passed away Saturday, July 12, 2014. She was born July 14, 1938, to Myrl D. and Mildred Blanche (Bergen) Anderson in Fowler.
Sue married Marvin Muchow on July 10, 1959, in Hutchinson.
Sue loved doing embroidery and playing bingo, playing cards with her many friends and going to casinos. In her younger years, she was an avid softball player. Sue worked, for many years as an accounts payable and payroll administrator at Premier Pneumatics.
Survivors include her husband, Marvin; sons, Carl Muchow, of Salina, and Russell Muchow, of Overland Park; two grandsons, Jason and Sean Muchow; and six great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Don Anderson and Gary Anderson; and sister, Patricia Stevens.
Memorial service: 10 a.m. Thursday, July 17, at Ryan Mortuary. There will be no visitation. Inurnment will be in Franklin Cemetery, in Tescott.
Memorials may be made to the Sue Muchow Memorial Fund, in care of Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina 67401.