MAYNARD D. LONDBORG

Former Alaska resident Maynard D. Londborg, 83, died Sept. 5, 2004, in Westminster, Colo. A family service was held Sept. 8 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.

The Rev. Londborg was born on a farm near Bristow, Neb., on May 11, 1921, the youngest of 10 children of Peter and Amanda Londborg.

He graduated from high school in Lynch, Neb., and from North Park Junior College and North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago. In later years he also completed a bachelor of science degree at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Omaha, and attended a master's program at the University of Alaska.

In Chicago, he met Loraine Lundstedt, whom he married on March 12, 1945. Shortly after his seminary graduation, they accepted a short-term missions assignment to Yakatat, in 1946-47, then went on to serve in Western Alaska, helping start a children's home in Unalakleet after a tuberculosis epidemic left many children orphaned.

He taught Bible in Marshall for two years, then returned to Unalakleet in 1954 to fulfill his vision of starting the first local high school in that area. Until 1966 he was a teacher, coached basketball and took on a variety of roles in Covenant High School -- from principal to maintenance. He also served as pastor for the Unalakleet Covenant Church for several years.

In 1955-56, the Rev. Londborg served as a delegate to the Alaska Constitutional Convention in Fairbanks, helping draft the founding document for Alaska statehood.

The Londborgs moved to Minnesota in 1966, where the Rev. Londborg was chaplain, teacher, and baseball coach at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis for 10 years. They then moved to Little Falls, Minn., in 1976 to pastor Grace Covenant Church, and enjoyed a fruitful ministry there for more than nine years.

In 1985, the Londborgs returned to Alaska to start new churches and eventually devoted all their efforts to founding the Mat-Su Evangelical Covenant Church in Palmer, until retiring in 1990.

They remained in Alaska and the Rev. Londborg did interim preaching and also served on the planning board for the Amundsen Educational Center (AEC), a Christian vocational school in Soldotna, until moving to Colorado in 1998.

The Rev. Londborg is survived by his children, Linda Sloan of Palmer, Peter Londborg of Seattle, John Londborg of Minneapolis and Elizabeth Nelson of Denver; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His wife preceded him in death.

Memorial gifts may be sent to AEC, Box 4006, Soldotna, AK 99669 or to the building project of the Mat-Su Evangelical Covenant Church.