Obituary of Paul Lundgren

Paul was born December 27, 1919 in Bradford Township, Isanti County Minnesota, the fifth child of John and Anna (Larson) Lundgren. Paul graduated from Cambridge High School in 1937 and attended Bethel Junior College, where he sensed God's call on his life to minister the Gospel. He completed his college degree at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Philosophy. While pastoring at Hillman Baptist in Mora, Minnesota, in 1945, Paul married the lovely Ruth Ellstrom of Door County Wisconsin, and their two children, Joy and John, were born. In 1949 the family moved to Albin, Wyoming, where Paul served Albin Baptist Church for 10 years. He completed a term on the Bethel College Board of Regents. In 1959 the family moved to York, Nebraska, and later to Omaha, Nebraska, when Paul became the Executive Minister and Field Missionary for the Great Plains Baptist Conference. Paul was President of the Nebraska Association of Evangelicals and served on the Board of the National Association of Evangelicals for 6 years. In 1980 Paul and Ruth moved to Cambridge, Minnesota where Paul served Interim pastorates in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and two churches in Anchorage, Alaska. Paul served as a Pastor to Senior Adults at the First Baptist Church of Cambridge, Minnesota. Literally to the end of his life Paul was a pastor in the best sense of the word and a deep man of prayer. A few weeks short of his 92nd birthday, Paul died peacefully at home with his family by his side on Tuesday, December 6, 2011. He was preceded in death by his parents and 4 siblings and is survived by Ruth, his wife of 66 years; his daughter, Joy (Kenneth) Lehtinen; son John (Dawn); 4 grandchildren, Bjorn (Sarah); Dane (Jade); Trygve (Bethany); Maija; 7 great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephew, and many, many friends. Paul will be deeply missed by all who knew him. "Richer, fuller, deeper, Jesus love is sweeter, sweeter as the years go by."