|
Strommen
family honored with new award
Now Online exclusive—expanded story
Augsburg announces
the creation of a new award, the Distinguished Service Award, which will
be given annually to the College's "formative families"—families
who have made substantial and continuing contributions to Augsburg.
This year, the award
goes to the Strommen family, and will be presented during Homecoming festivities
in October. To date, more than 30 members of the extended Strommen family
have attended.
The Rev.
Peter Andrew Strommen (a.k.a. P.A.) was among the first of four generations
of Strommens to attend Augsburg. A graduate from Augsburg Seminary in
1913, he was a parish minister in a downtown Seattle church until 1934,
when his deep love of the College brought him and his wife, Nellie (Framstad),
back to Minnesota so their sons could attend his alma mater. His devotion
to the College didn't end there. In the late 1930s he took the only savings
he had and gave it to Augsburg.
Abner Strommen (deceased)
led the second generation of Augsburg Strommens. A 1938 graduate, Abner
had a long and distinguished career in Minnesota high school athletics
as a coach, teacher, and athletic director. He was honored as athletic
director of the year in Minnesota in 1980 and athletic director of the
year nationally in 1981. He
received the Distinguished Service Award in the Hall of Fame. His wife,
Marjorie (Bergeland) Strommen (deceased) was a 1940 graduate. Their son,
Steven, is a 1965 graduate and a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame.Their
daughter, Marsha, is a 1968 graduate.
The Rev. Luther Strommen
is a 1939 Augsburg graduate. He is a retired pastor of the two largest
Lutheran churches in Illinois and Ohio. Luther was a great speaker, who
preached without using notes. He and his wife, Helen (Larson) have four
children: Mary Ellen (Liebers) ’67; Christine ’70; Jeanine (Nesvig);
Paul; and Todd.
Merton Strommen has
worn many hats at Augsburg since graduating in 1942. He served as campus
pastor, news director, religion teacher, founded the Research Institute,
and in 1987 founded the Youth and Family Institute in memory of his son,
David Huglen Strommen (’83). He has received the Distinguished Alumni
Award and has served on the Board of Regents. He directs the Centennial
Singers and is an accomplished musician.
Merton's wife, A.
Irene (Hugland) ’43 is a retired library teacher and a freelance
author. All of their children are Augsburg graduates: Erik Peter ’69
and his wife, Norma (Johnson) ’69; Timothy ’70 and his wife,
Dawn (Hofstad) ’70; James ’77 and his wife, Judith (Knudson)
’77; and John ’81and his wife, Heidi (Almquist).
A fourth brother,
Clair Strommen, a 1946 graduate (deceased), was a retired business owner
and former president, CEO, and chairman of the board at Lutheran Brotherhood.
Clair was a member of Augsburg's basketball and baseball championship
teams. After graduation he signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals
and pitched his way to a top minor-league club. Although his dream of
playing for the major leagues was cut short after he contracted tuberculosis,
Strommen recovered and became a success in the business world.
In 1952, he returned
to Augsburg and served as its public relations director. From there, he
worked as an agent for Lutheran Brotherhood in Fargo, N.Dak., and Moorhead,
Minn. In 1960 he founded Strommen & Associates in St. Paul, and made
it Central Life of Iowa's leading agency.
Clair has served on
the Board of Regents, was a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award,
and is in the Athletic Hall of Fame. His wife, Gladys (Boxrud), is a 1946
graduate of Augsburg. She has also served as a Regent and was chair of
the Augsburg Associates. Their daughter Nancy (Stensvaag) is a 1971 graduate;
her husband, John-Mark ’69, is a Distinguished Alumnus, and their
daughter, Becky, is a 2001 graduate (they also have four other children:
Eric, Nellie, Kirsten, and Jonathan). Clair and Gladys' son Robert is
a 1974 graduate and a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame; his wife Andrea
(Johnson) is a 1975 graduate. Their son, Hans, is current Augsburg student
(they have two other children—Bjorn and Tjersti).
This is a truly unique
family. Augsburg's motto, "Education for Service," defines the
Strommen family—starting with P.A. Strommen and all the way down
to his great-grandchildren. The Strommen families have been major contributors
to Augsburg in all aspects, and what they have achieved through their
vocations has affected thousands of people.
|
Congratulations
to the Golden Anniversary Class of 1951!
Learn
more about the 2001 reunion classes,
read bios of the Homecoming 2001 award recipients,
discover how to nominate an alum for next year's awards,
and view the Homecoming 2001 calendar of events
by visiting the Homecoming Web site
|
From
the Alumni Board president's desk...