LORAINE LONDBORG

Former Alaska resident Loraine V. Londborg, 82, died May 12, 2004, in Westminster, Colo. A family service was held May 17, 2004, in Colorado. A celebration of life will be held at the Evangelical Covenant Church of Mat-Su, in Palmer, at 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 30.

Mrs. Londborg was born Feb. 23, 1922, on a farm near Hepburn, Iowa, to parents Victor and Ella Lundstedt.

Taught piano at an early age, she started giving piano lessons when in high school. In 1940, she graduated from Clarinda High School in Iowa. She attended North Park College in Chicago for a year before entering the three-year nursing program at Swedish Covenant Hospital, Chicago, graduating in 1944.

On March 12, 1945, she married Maynard Londborg and together they served as missionaries in Alaska, initially a year in Yakatat in 1946-47, then in Western Alaska for 19 years.

They were primarily in Unalakleet, where the Londborgs worked in the Covenant Children's Home and later were founders of Covenant High School. During these years, she was involved with many church and school activities, taught piano and her skills in nursing were frequently used. Also during these years, their four children were born.

In 1966, the Rev. and Mrs. Londborg moved to Minneapolis, where she worked as assistant nursing supervisor at Augustana Nursing Home. Between 1976-1985, they served the Grace Covenant Church in Little Falls, Minn.

Moving back to Alaska in 1985, the Londborgs helped found the Mat-Su Evangelical Covenant Church in Palmer. After retiring in 1990, they continued to help in the church, traveled and enjoyed visits of family and friends until moving to the Covenant Village Retirement Center in Westminster, Colo., in 1998.

Her family wrote: "Mrs. Londborg's greatest joy in life was to serve other people, and to entertain family, friends, and strangers in her home. Her table was never too full."

Mrs. Londborg is survived by her children, Linda Sloan of Palmer, Peter Londborg of Seattle, John Londborg of Minneapolis and Elizabeth Nelson of Denver; brother, Gerald Lundstedt; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren -- one born shortly after her death.

The Rev. Maynard Londborg, her husband of 59 years, survived her by four months.