First Martin Luther College President Called to Eternal Glory “To God Be the Glory for the Faithful Labors of President Emeritus Theodore Olsen” A tribute by MLC President Mark Zarling WLS ’80 President Emeritus Theodore Olsen was called to eternal glory Thursday, 23 April 2015. We rejoice with the family that Jesus has given the eternal crown of glory to our former colleague and friend. We mourn with the family at the suddenness of his death and the pain of separation. Yet we pray that the Spirit reassures them and us with the promise of the forever reunion. Jesus says to each of his people, I am going there to prepare a place for you.
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:2-3).
And
Rev. Theodore Olsen served as a pastor in Florida and Wisconsin, a professor, and a president. Of special note to us here at MLC is that Jesus allowed Ted to serve many years in our synod’s ministerial education schools. He served as a tutor at Northwestern Lutheran Academy-Mobridge SD, a professor at Dr. Martin Luther College-New Ulm MN, a president of Martin Luther Preparatory School-Prairie du Chien WI, and then the first president of Martin Luther College-New Ulm.
amalgamation. His heritage speaks of the Spirit’s power through his labors. By grace through the Word he shared, the school remains committed to the inspired and inerrant Scriptures as the sole foundation for its existence. The school remains committed to seeing Jesus in every page of Scripture as the only Way, Truth, and Life. The school remains committed to a single purpose, that of training another generation to go and proclaim Christ as all in all, for our life now and for our life forever. To God be the glory for the faithful labors of President Theodore Olsen to guide and shepherd the school in those years. May Jesus uphold his wife, Joanne, and all the family in his grace, comforting them with his sure and certain promises. Indeed, Blessed
are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them” (Revelation 14:13).
Ted served at a challenging time—the amalgamation of Dr. Martin Luther College and Northwestern College of Watertown, Wisconsin, into Martin Luther College. Through his gospel ministry, the Spirit blessed the amalgamation and unified these two schools. Ted’s gospel labors naturally touched the students of these schools. The lasting result is that many of the current gospel servants in the ministerium of the WELS were molded by Ted’s ministry of the Word. As his successor at MLC, I’m grateful for his service as the first president after
The alumni photos at the bottom of the pages are from the anniversary classes of MLC, NWC, and DMLC: ’40, ’45, ’50, ’55, ’60, ’65, ’70, ’75, ’80, ’85, ’90, ’95, ’00, ’05, and ’10. Thanks to Alumni Director Steve Balza DMLC ’93, who provided this random selection of alumni.
Wayne Laitinen NWC 1975 Barre VT
Valerie Riechers MLC 2000 Phoenix AZ
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