Paul E Anderson

Obituary Rev. Paul E. Anderson April 14, 1920 - October 25, 2008 Rev. Paul E. Anderson, 88, Lutheran Pastor and former missionary to East Africa, died after a long illness on Saturday, October 25, 2008, surrounded by family and loved ones at Chatuge Regional Nursing Home, Hiawassee, Georgia. Born April 14, 1920, to Rev. George N. Anderson, Pastor of First Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minnesota, and his wife, Annette, the family answered the call to the East African mission field in 1924. They lived on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro where Paul was home schooled. He returned to Minnesota for his senior year of high school and graduated at age fifteen. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota in 1940. After graduation, he began his teaching career in Britton, South Dakota, then entered Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was ordained a Lutheran Pastor in 1943 at Augustana Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois. He married Joyce Wenstrom of St. James, Minnesota in 1943, and together they raised a family of five lively daughters with warmth, caring and humor. He taught his girls to love the Lord, love life and love learning. A philosopher, theologian and Biblical scholar, he was widely read and maintained an extensive library. He sang in several choral groups and enjoyed performing sacred music. He was also an accomplished pianist and played a wide variety of music from Bach and Beethoven to the blues and boogie-woogie. In 1945 he graduated from the School of Missions at Hartford Seminary Foundation, Hartford, Connecticut. He received his MA in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Minnesota in 1946 to complete his training to become a missionary. He accepted a call to the mission field in Tanzania, East Africa, in April of 1946, and served as Headmaster of Kinampanda Training School under the auspices of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Augustana Lutheran Church. In 1951 he left foreign service and began his work as a parish pastor at Zion Lutheran Church, Waterbury Connecticut, and served on the Board of Lutheran Social Service of New England. In 1954 he became pastor of Augustana Lutheran Church, Queens, New York City, and served on the Lutheran Welfare Council of New York. In 1960 he assumed the pulpit at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Miami, Florida, where he chaired the Lutheran Refugee Committee dealing with the influx of Cuban refugees in the 1960's. He was a member of the interdenominational Miami Christian Community Service Agency for twelve years before his retirement to Hiawassee, Georgia and Fort Pierce, Florida in 1978. He maintained a part time ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America after his retirement and was a member of the Board of Trustees of Southern Theological Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina. Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Joyce Wenstrom Anderson of Hiawassee, Georgia, daughters Pamela (James) Martindale of Sky Valley, Georgia, Judith (James) Anderson of Duluth, Georgia, Wendy (Nelson Gonzalez) Anderson of Winter Park, Florida and Heidi (John) Grayson of Lawrenceville, Georgia. Other survivors include sisters Louise (Rev. Howard) Olson and Jule Baetz, sisters-in-law Dzidra Anderson and Joan Anderson, brother-in-law Rev. Richard Froehlig, and nine grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by daughter Gail Anderson Frishman, granddaughter Beverly Gail Jones, parents Rev. George N. and Annette Anderson, in-laws Harry and Minnie Wenstrom, brothers Mark Anderson, Rev. Leroy Anderson, Rev. Joseph Anderson, Rev. Philip Anderson, sisters Dorothy Anderson and Grace Anderson Froehlig, sister-in-law Jane Anderson and brother-in-law Reuben Baetz. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. at Banister Funeral Home, 678 Main Street N, Hiawassee GA 30546 (706) 896-2218. There will be time to share memories a