Pastor Jack Henry Bredfeldt, 90

Published 7:26 am Sunday, February 16, 2014

Pastor Jack Henry Bredfeldt, 90, of Austin, Minn., died Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014, at Comforcare Good Samaritan Center in Austin.

Jack Bredfeldt

He was born Aug. 19, 1923, in Davenport, Iowa, to Charles and Dorothy (Gilley) Bredfeldt. He attended high school in Davenport, graduating in 1941. Jack then attended St. Ambrose University in Davenport for engineering, but was called into the service. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1941 to 1944. After his three years of duty, he attended Iowa State University. During his senior year there, he attended a camp, where he felt a call to become a missionary. Jack transferred to Midland College in Fremont, Neb., and then entered Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul. On Valentine’s Day in 1953, Jack met Hazel Damgaard, who was in nurses’ training at Fairview Hospital. On Aug. 1, 1953, Jack and Hazel were married in Menomonie, Wis. Jack became the Associate Pastor at Woodlake Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, and the church supported Jack and Hazel as they began their missionary service. They traveled as missionaries for the Evangelical Lutheran Church, spending from 1954 to 1958 in the French African Republic. In 1959, they returned to the United States, leaving again for Africa from 1960 to 1965. Upon their return to the U.S. in 1965, Jack began an interim position before he was called to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Elkton. He served at St. John’s for 22 years. Jack’s favorite pastimes were hunting in Africa, collecting stamps and coins, carpentry work, and gardening. He also was interested in model planes and was a member of the Adams American Legion.

Jack is survived by his wife Hazel Bredfeldt of Austin, four daughters, Deborah (Stan) Harms, of Quincy, Ill.; Ruth Ann (Dave) Gehrke, of New Ulm, Minn.; Naomi (Rich) Gabrielson, of Austin; and Sharon (Mike) Cooper, of Rancho Palos Verdes, of Calif.; two sons, John (Barb) Bredfeldt, of Tustin Ranch, Calif.; and Paul (Kris) Bredfeldt, of Austin; 17 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Elkton, with Rev. Liz Erickson officiating. Interment will be in St. John’s Cemetery, Elkton.  Visitation will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.