Alumni Updates

Volume 22 No 1 | Winter 2008-2009

1941

Gustave Ferré (C’38, S’41), 89, died April 26, 2008, in Topeka, Kan., of complications from a stroke he suffered 10 years ago. During his 30 years in North Texas, Ferré was chairman of the philosophy department at Texas Christian University, vice president of academic affairs for what is now the University of North Texas, and minister to First Community Church in Dallas. He wrote two books, A Layman Examines His Faith and Basic Philosophical Issues. Born in Gnesta, Sweden, Ferré moved in 1922 with his family to Springfield, Mass., where his father was an ordained minister for 50 years. He was one of five Ferré children to attend Bethel.  Dean K.J. Karlson had been a fellow pastor with their father in Sweden, and he saw that each of the children got a start in America. Gustave’s brother was noted theologian Nels Ferré, and his sister Thyra was also an author; she wrote the popular Papa’s Wife. His wife Dorothy predeceased him in 1992. He is survived by a son and three daughters, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

1945

Mabel (Anderson) Olson died on May 24, 2008. She is survived by her husband of nearly 61 years, Howard, son Richard (Kathleen), grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She and Howard served in BGC churches in Wisconsin, Nebraska, Washington, Illinois, and Minnesota. Mabel excelled in poetry and authored numerous books and articles.

1969

Paul Goodman (C’66, S’69), is a CPA and the floral industry’s leading authority on accounting and profitability practices. He is the founder and editor of “Floral Finance,” the industry’s most respected financial publication. He wrote The Profit Minded Florist and developed a leading floral software accounting package. In his consulting practice, Goodman has helped thousands of florists increase their profitability. He holds an MBA from Stanford University and recently authored It’s Never Too Late to Finish Well, or Too Early to Start by Trafford Publishing.

1975

Randy Hines was promoted to full professor of communications at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa. He also taught this summer as a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Barnaul, Russia. His latest book (with Bob Lauterborn), PRINT MATTERS: How to Write Great Advertising, was published in May by Racom Books.

1988

Chuck Conniry, director of the doctoral programs at George Fox Evangelical Seminary in Newberg, Ore., since 1998, was named vice president and dean of the seminary in March. He also teaches theology and pastoral studies at both the master’s and doctoral levels. Prior to his arrival at George Fox, Conniry spent 15 years in full-time pastoral ministry, most recently as a pastor in Southern California from 1982 to 1997. He also served as lead faculty for Bethel’s former program in adult education at Bethel Seminary San Diego. In addition, he was a faculty mentor and assistant professor in the doctor of ministry program there for two years. Conniry earned a master of divinity from Bethel Seminary and a doctorate in systematic theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1997. His areas of expertise include systematic theology, pastoral ministry, modern and postmodern philosophy, American religious history, and New Testament Greek. He is the author of two books, Soaring in the Spirit and Christianity in a Postmodern World: A Theological Analysis. Conniry and his wife Dianne live in Sherwood, Ore., and have three children.

1991

Dave Harvey became pastor of the Grand Marais Free Church in Grand Marais, Minn., in February, moving from Crosslake, Minn., where he and his wife Gayle had lived for 14 years. Harvey worked for Bell Telephone and AT&T for 10 years before earning an M.Div. at Bethel in 1991. He then worked as a hospital chaplain at the University of Minnesota and pastored Crosslake Evangelical Free Church from 1994 to 2000. Since then, he had been working in sales until the call came from Grand Marais. The Petersons have three adult children.

1996

Jennifer and Jon Dahlager are serving as missionaries in Costa Rica with Assemblies of God World Missions. In summer 2008 they took 12 staff members from the Costa Rica pastors’ kids (PK) ministry to lead the first-ever PK camp in Cuba. There, they served as preachers and staff to about 200 young people, many of whom want to be trained to serve PKs in their own region.

Shawn Norton (C’84, S’96) is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, S.D. He and his wife Nancy (S’05) have three children: Nathaniel, a senior at Bethel University; Ben, 18; and Grace, 12. He can be reached at pastornorton@firstbaptistsf.org.

1997

Anara and Jonathan Pixler returned to the U.S. after serving in Kazakhstan for eight years. Jonathan was the dean of students at the Kazakstan Institute of Management, Economics, and Strategic Research and also taught business ethics.  They live in Columbia Heights, Minn., with their one-year-old daughter, Rachel.

2001

David Frisbie is a Christian family counselor who teaches graduate courses in family studies and gerontology at Southern Nazarene University. With his wife Lisa, who is also a Christian family counselor, he authored the new book The Soul-Mate Marriage: The Spiritual Journey of Becoming One. Written in connection with the new movie Fireproof, the book focuses on building spiritual intimacy in marriage. This is the couple’s 10th book together, the fourth in a current series of marriage and family topics from Harvest House Publishers. Previous books by the Frisbies have been recommended and endorsed by Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, Willow Creek Community Church, and Billy Graham’s Bookstore at the Cove, among others. The Frisbies serve as executive directors of The Center for Marriage & Family Studies in Del Mar, Calif. Married for 30 years, their travels to speak, teach, and train leaders have taken them to all 50 states, 11 Canadian provinces, and more than 40 world nations.

Christopher Hearn coauthored Pocket PCOS—A Quick and Practical Guide to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Personal Testimonies along with Dr. Shahab S. Minassian from the Reading Hospital and Medical Center in Reading, Pa. See www.pocketpcos.com.

2005

Michael John Peterson, age 38, died on January 31, 2008. He was a graduate of Fridley High School in Fridley, Minn., where he was a three-sport athlete. He continued his interest in fitness after high school as a regular at the local Lifetime Fitness Center, where he met his wife Kara. They were married in November 1993. Peterson worked for 16 years at John Roberts Printing while attending North Central University, graduating in 1999 with honors and a degree in pastoral studies. He continued his studies at Bethel Seminary, graduating in 2005 with a master of divinity. Since October 2005, Peterson served on the staff of International Ministerial Fellowship (IMF) in Fridley as coordinator of chaplaincy services (military and civilian). In 2007, he also assumed responsibilities as the English pastor of the Korean United Methodist Church in New Brighton, Minn. He is remembered by friends and family as a hard-working, humble man with the gift of servanthood. He is survived by his wife Kara; son Preston, 9; daughters Elliana, 4, and Brekka, 1; mother; stepfather; father; stepmother; brother; grandmother; and parents-in-law.

2007

Jo Gast was ordained and installed as the pastor at Family of God Lutheran Church in East Grand Forks, Minn. She and her husband Randy live in Crookston, Minn.