CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Willmar L. Thorkelson, journalist, author and member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), died Nov. 29 from complications of Parkinson's disease. He was 84.
Thorkelson's writing career began while a student at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., and spanned more than 60 years. After graduating from Concordia, Thorkelson wrote for the Bismarck (N.D.) Tribune and Detroit Lakes (Minn.) Tribune.
Thorkelson reported religion news for the Minneapolis Star from 1944 until the newspaper merged in 1982 with the Minneapolis Tribune. He continued writing news as a freelance journalist until September of this year. In 1969 he authored the guide "Lutherans in the U.S.A.," published by Augsburg Publishing House (now Augsburg Fortress, Publishing House of the ELCA), Minneapolis.
Thorkelson took a leave of absence from the Minneapolis Star to serve as a press officer for the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland, 1948-1949. He wrote the English-language news releases for the WCC's first assembly in Amsterdam in 1948. At the WCC's eighth assembly in 1998 in Harare, Zimbabwe, he was recognized as probably the only journalist who had been to all eight assemblies.
Thorkelson covered the Second Vatican Council in Rome during the autumns of 1963 through 1965.
Since 1982 Thorkelson's articles appeared regularly in The Christian Century magazine and in the Metro Lutheran, a monthly newspaper published in Minneapolis. He was a contributing editor of The Lutheran, the magazine of the ELCA.
"Bill was a genuine professional," said Charles Lutz, former editor of the Metro Lutheran. "In my early years as a church communicator, almost half a century ago, he was a role model for me. Bill saw reporting honestly on the church and other faith communities, warts and all, as his God-given calling. He followed that call faithfully."
"Willmar created a respectability for religion writing that took it off the church page and put it on the front page long before newspapers began to give religion the attention it deserved," said the Rev. Edgar R. Trexler, former editor of The Lutheran. "His material was lively, easily understandable and always fair."
"Similarly, editors of church publications knew they could give him an assignment and he would hit the mark for a denominational audience, too. He wrote quickly and reliably, and was always a friend," said Trexler.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune cited the Rev. Martin E. Marty, a Lutheran historian and ELCA pastor, in an editorial in The Christian Century magazine. "I mourn," wrote Marty. "He's a friend. ... He's your friend, too, for what he's been doing to upgrade the telling of the religious story, by setting national standards."
Born in Trail, Minn., in 1918, Thorkelson earned a bachelor's degree from Concordia, Moorhead, Minn., in 1940, and a master's degree from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. At Concordia, he edited the student newspaper, The Concordian. Concordia is one of 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA.
In 2000 Concordia gave Thorkelson its Alumni Achievement Award. The college gives the award "to honor alumni who have exemplified the ideals of Concordia College through outstanding service and leadership in their profession, community and church. These individuals have profoundly influenced the affairs of the world through thought, word and deed."
The Associated Church Press, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Religious Public Relations Council (now the Religion Communicators Council) have also honored Thorkelson and his work. In 1998 the Luther Institute, Washington, D.C., awarded him a Wittenberg Award, which is given "to honor outstanding Lutheran laity and clergy for their service to church and society."
Last year, the Religion Newswriters Association gave Thorkelson its first Lifetime Achievement Award. He served as that organization's president from 1962 to 1964.
Thorkelson is survived by his wife Maxine and two adult children. A memorial service was held Dec. 4 at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, where he had been a member.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
