Nels W. Forde

Age 89 of Golden Valley, passed away May 12, 2015.

Preceded in death by brother, Gerhard.

Survived by loving wife of 65 years, Janet; children, Rebecca (Dan) Lansing, Steven (Mari), Suzanne (Chris) Tunnell, Barbara (Alex Rad) Forde and Christopher (Jodi); 8 grandchildren; siblings, Paul (Karen), Mark (Michele), Jonathan (Chandra), Daniel (Judy), Astrid Anne (David) Young and Michael (Pam); many nieces and nephews.

Memorial service 11:00 AM Friday, May 29, 2015 at Calvary Lutheran Church, 7520 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley with a visitation 1 hour prior to service.

Interment at Sunset Cemetery.

SUNSET | 612-789-3596 | www.SunsetFuneralServices.com

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OBITUARY PREPARED FOR LUTHER COLLEGE:

Nels Forde, class of 1950, Board of Regents 1968-1980, died May 12 at the age of 89. Nels came from a line of Luther graduates going back to the founding of the college. His grandfather Nils graduated in 1873, his father Gerhard in 1907. Nels was born in St Paul, MN in 1926, and grew up in Starbuck, MN speaking Norwegian as a fourth-generation immigrant. He entered Luther College in 1944, with the intent of becoming a Lutheran minister like his father and grandfather. His graduation was delayed by military service, as part of the occupying force in Germany after World War II. Upon his return to Luther, he married Janet Jerdee, class of 1948. Their marriage lasted 65 years. After graduating, he entered seminary in Minneapolis, but discovered an interest in ancient history, inspired by Biblical history. He enrolled in graduate study at the University of Minnesota, where he received his PhD in 1964. From 1960 to 1965 he taught ancient history at the University of Nebraska. In 1965 he joined the faculty of Luther College, where he served as chair of the Department of History until 1967. He then returned to the University of Nebraska, where he taught from 1967 until he retired in 1994. His dedication to Luther carried on, however, as he served on the Luther Board of Regents for two six-year terms, from 1968 to 1980. Three of his five children attended or graduated from Luther: Rebecca, class of 1974, Suzanne, class of 1979, and Barbara (graduated from U of Minnesota). After his retirement, Nels’s intellectual interest and his public service did not end. He led many Bible study classes at his home parishes, first in Pine River, MN (where he and Janet had a home on Whitefish Lake), then at Calvary Lutheran in Golden Valley, MN. In his final years, he was still leading classes, tutoring homeschooled children in Greek, and giving public lectures. He is survived by wife Janet; children Rebecca (Dan) Lansing; Steven (Mari Metzgar); Suzanne (Christopher) Tunnell; Barbara (Alex Rad); and Christopher (Jodi); eight grandchildren, and many siblings, nieces and nephews.

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OBITUARY PREPARED FOR UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-Lincoln

Nels Forde, longtime professor of ancient history at UNL, died May 12, 2015, at the age of 89. Nels joined the faculty in 1960, served until 1965, then returned in 1967 after two years at Luther College in Decorah Iowa. He retired in 1994. Over the years, he taught innumerable Nebraska undergraduates, and many graduate students. In 1980, he won the Annis Chaikin Sorensen Distinguished Teaching Award. As a scholar, Nels published three books (Nebraska Cuneiform Texts, a History Textbook, and Cato the Censor), and a number of essays. He retired to his home state of Minnesota after leaving Nebraska.