Beloved husband, dad, grandpa and great-grandpa Jennings Gotfred Feroe, age 96, of Northfield, died Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, at Northfield Hospital.
Jennings was born Aug. 17, 1913, in Madison, Minn., to Albert and Jensena (Anderson) Feroe. He was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church and graduated from Madison Normal School in 1931. In 1935, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in teaching from St. Olaf College and in 1939 graduated from Luther Seminary. In August 1939, he studied at an independent seminary in Oslo, Norway, and during that time he witnessed the occupation by the Nazis. In 1940, he returned to the U.S. and helped establish a home mission church in Ingleside, Ill., north of Chicago. He then joined the U.S. Navy and served from February 1943 to December 1945, part of that time as chief of chaplains at the Hawaii Air Force Base.
Jennings married Elaine Hjortland on Jan. 21, 1945, at Ascension Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. Following his honorable discharge from the Navy, the couple moved to Mankato where he served as pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church until June 1973. They moved to Northfield and Jennings worked in the Development Department at St. Olaf until 1979. He served as visitation pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church from 1979 until retiring in 1997.
Jennings was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and Retired Ministers Group. He was former board president of Lutheran Social Services, chairman of the Board of Missions of the ELCA, former vice-president of the Southern Minnesota Synod, and a former Regent and Distinguished Alumnus of St. Olaf College. He enjoyed collecting valentines and post cards, and feeding birds, and he was an avid fan of St. Olaf athletics. He was a wise and compassionate man who cared deeply about his family, his friends, the church and St. Olaf. He was a master of the art of conversation and loved for his ability to tell a good story.
Jennings is survived by his wife of almost 65 years, Elaine; five children, Mark of Duluth, Mary (Ted) Hovey of Roseville, Bruce (Kathy) of Duluth, Lois (Roger) Tinker of Coon Rapids, and Ellen Hedrick of Richmond, Va.; six granddaughters, Sonja (Jacob) Broten, Kari Hovey, Carly and Heidi Feroe, and Kristen and Janel Tinker; three great-grandchildren: Nehemiah, Evangeline and Athanasius Broten; brother-in-law, John Hjortland of Chicago; cousin, Donald (Jean) Feroe of Richfield; nephews and niece, John and Paul Feroe, Ann Keuper and David Hjortland; and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother and sister-in-law, Art and Lucille.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield, with the Revs. Joseph Crippen, Diane Goulson and John Quam officiating. Music will be provided by Heidi Feroe, Daniel Fenn and Andrea Een. Interment will be in Oaklawn Cemetery. Casket bearers will be Bob Gelle, Gary Knutson, Dean Ostlie, Bob Phelps, Joe Shaw and John Walters. Visitation will begin at noon Wednesday at the church.
Memorials are preferred to St. John’s Lutheran Church, St. Olaf or Northfield Retirement Center.
Arrangements by the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home.
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