The listings in this publication include notifications received by August 6. Submit your own alumni news at luthersem.edu/alumni.

1950s

Alton Hillesland ’57 M.Div. died on February 10. He served congregations in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Montana.

Paul Ofstedal ’58 M.Div. died on October 13. He served Lutheran parishes in Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and Minnesota.

1960s

Nels Lillejord ’60 M.Div. died on April 8. He served congregations in Minnesota and North Dakota.

Vernon Bittner ’61 Th.M. published “Amazing Grace: A Journey of Self-Discovery” with Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Roger Schwarze ‘64 M.Div. died on May 23. He served for over 60 years of ordained ministry and maintained close relationships with fellow ministers through a colleague group he started decades ago.

Ronald Nielsen ’67 M.Div. died on April 21. He served as parish pastor, interim pastor, and Bible camp executive and, with his spouse, Kathie, served as a missionary in Madagascar for a year.

William Walker ’67 M.Div. died on May 2. After his studies at Luther Seminary, he earned a J.D. and spent most of his career as an attorney and judge.

Allan Stoa ’68 M.Div. died on February 22. He served congregations across northern Iowa and in various roles as a chaplain.

1970s

Gregory Stofer ’70 M.Div. died on March 23. He served on the counseling staff at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota, for over 35 years.

Norman Belland ’74 M.Div., ’20 Th.M. died on July 19. He served parishes in St. Peter, Apple Valley, and Hinckley, Minnesota, and Prescott, Wisconsin. He served as pastor of the American Lutheran Congregation in Oslo, Norway, for three years and finished his ministerial career in 2021 as a hospice chaplain for Health East/M Health Fairview.

John Nilsen ’75 M.Div. died on July 11. He served as pastor of congregations in North Dakota and became well-known for his preaching, which served him well in retirement as he provided pulpit supply for area congregations.

Michael Obinger ’76 M.Div. died on July 8, 2023. He served churches in Wisconsin and at several Milwaukee- area nonprofits.

Paul Overvold ’78 M.Div. died on January 31. He served parishes in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin and spent 22 years in the naval reserve, retiring as captain.

1980s

Brian McCaffrey ’81 M.Div. died on May 3. He served a small congregation on Washington Island, Wisconsin, and as a chaplain in Minnesota and New York.

Marcia Hall ’82 M.Div. died on February 6. She served congregations in Iowa, Minnesota, and New York and as a chaplain at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas, and Fairview Southdale Hospital in Minneapolis.

John Strommen ’87 M.Div., ’22 Th.M. is the author of the recently published book, “GPS: Finding Direction on Your Faith and Life Journey—How Luther’s Theology Connects Faith to Life.” Strommen wrote the book to bring the heart of Luther’s theological witness directly into conversation with 21st-century Christians hungering to not only have faith, but to live their faith.

1990s

Paul Tjostem ’92 M.A. married Anne (Sieber) Collingwood on July 27 in Decorah, Iowa, with Tom Pietz ’95 M.Div. officiating. Paul and Anne currently reside in Redondo Beach, California.

Marian Eisenmann ’93 M.Div. has published a new spiritual memoir titled “Discovering the Call to Ministry in Daily Life: God’s Story, Your Story.”

Martin Halom ’99 M.Div. was elected in June to serve as bishop of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin. He has served as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bloomer, Wisconsin, since 2012 and was previously associate campus pastor of University Lutheran Church in East Lansing, Michigan, and associate pastor of American Lutheran Church in Rantoul, Illinois.

2000s

Kathleen Lowery ’00 M.Div. retired on February 1 after more than 20 years of ministry at Stordahl Lutheran Church in Zumbrota, Minnesota.

Deborah Hutterer ’04 M.Div. was reelected in June to serve as bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod. She was first elected bishop of the synod in 2018. Previously she served as chief development officer and director of congregational relations and volunteers with Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest; executive director of Faith in the City in Minneapolis; and pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pontiac, Illinois.

Kathleen Ann Junek ’04 M.A. died on June 5. Prior to seminary studies, she had a long career in business. She earned a J.D. after attending seminary and retired as a public defender in Anoka County.

2010s

Professor Mark Granquist and alumni Elise Pokel ‘17 M.Div. and Dustin Haider ‘21 M.Div. were interviewed for a September 16 AP article about Minnesota’s unusual approach to politics—“Lutherans in Walz’s Minnesota put potlucks before politics during divisive election season.”

2020s

Cory Driver ’21 M.Div. awaits the March 11, 2025 release of his book, “God, Gender, and Family Trauma: How Rereading Genesis Can Be a Revelation,” with Fortress Press.

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