Conrad Mervin THOMPSON

1917 - 2001  (84 years)

• Name	Conrad Mervin THOMPSON
  Birth	2 Apr 1917	Valders, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
  Gender	Male
  Death	18 Jul 2001	Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
  Notes	The Rev. Conrad M. Thompson, 84, speaker for Lutheran Vespers from 1970 to 1982, died July 18.  Lutheran Vespers is the radio ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The funeral will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Burnsville, Minn., on July 22 at 4 p.m. "Lutheran Vespers is still reaping the fruits that Connie planted during his time as speaker," said Susan V. Greeley, director and producer of Lutheran Vespers, ELCA Department for Communication.  "It is very common for staff to hear comments such as, 'I've been listening ever since Connie Thompson was on the air,'" she said.  Lutheran Vespers has been on the air since 1947.   "To this day we receive wills and bequests from people who were touched by Connie's ministry, both over the radio and in person.  His is a legacy that continues to thrive," Greeley said.   "Connie Thompson took a growing ministry and expanded it even further.   Even though no one on the current staff of Lutheran Vespers had the opportunity to work with Connie, we feel as though we know him through our mutual love for listeners and this broadcast.  We are grateful for the wonderful legacy Connie left us and thankful to God for his ministry," she said. Thompson was born on a farm near Valders, Wis., April 2, 1917.  He earned a bachelor of arts degree in music at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., in 1939, and taught music at Pomeroy High School, Pomeroy, Iowa, from 1939 to 1942.  Thompson earned a master of divinity degree at Luther Theological Seminary (now Luther Seminary), St. Paul, Minn., in 1945.  He served as pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn., from 1944 to 1949, and at Grace Lutheran Church, Watertown, S.D., from 1949 to 1951.  He served as director for evangelism in the former Evangelical Lutheran Church and American Lutheran Church from 1951 to 1970. Thompson developed the United States Congress on Evangelism held in Minneapolis in 1969, and served as a delegate to International Congresses on World Evangelization in Berlin, Germany, and Lausanne, Switzerland.  He was a member of the Commission on Evangelism and Stewardship of the Lutheran World Federation, a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition founded in 1947.  Thompson is the author of several articles and booklets on marriage, spiritual healing and family.   A tribute to Thompson will be featured in the August 2001 issue of the "Good Newsletter," a bi-monthly publication of Lutheran Vespers. The tribute features a note written by Thompson last month with thoughts about his ministry with Lutheran Vespers.  He wrote:   "What helped to make our radio listeners so close to us were not only the warm letters of response, but what was called our 'coffee cup ministry.'  When I retired, Lutheran Vespers asked if my wife and I would spend two years visiting as many Lutheran Vespers listeners as possible.  How thrilling it was to meet people of every denomination, both the elderly and many young people.  And how blessed we were as we heard about their own stories and their prayers for Lutheran Vespers, and especially to hear their fervent confession of faith." Thompson is survived by his wife, Swanhild (Swanee), a daughter, three sons, 10 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
  Person ID	I29626	Don Carlson's Tree
  Last Modified	30 Mar 2019

  
  

  Father	Elmer Hiram Cornell THOMPSON,   b. Abt 1885, Wisconsin
  Mother	Aletta Geneva GERALDSON,   b. Abt 1886, Wisconsin
  Family ID	F20586	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Swanhild Elvina TVERBERG,   b. 31 Jan 1919, Madagascar d. 15 Dec 2013, Ramsey County, Minnesota (Age 94 years)
  Family ID	F20585	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	30 Mar 2019