Roger W Fjeld

July 13, 1933 – October 12, 2026

Roger Fjeld was born on July 13, 1933 in Primghar, located in northwest Iowa. He was the eldest son of Oscar and Alice (Berntson) Fjeld. He attended school in Primghar and worked on the family farm. Music was important in the household and Roger learned piano, and went on to play trombone in high school.

He was baptized at Siloam Lutheran in Paullina and confirmed at Grace Lutheran in Primghar, where he played organ, which he taught himself, and was otherwise active in the church. He graduated as the valedictorian of class.

He attended the University of Iowa, in Iowa City where he initially intended to study Pharmacy and ultimately graduate with a BA in General Science in 1955. Once at the University he was active with Lutheran Campus Ministries, which ultimately changed his life. It was through Lutheran Campus Ministries that he became interested in studying theology and equally as important he met his future wife, Marilyn Burrack. He was asked to pick up some new students so they could attend a Lutheran Campus Ministry event. Marilyn was one of those students. Roger said on the way to the event she sat in the backseat on the way back she sat in the front seat, and the rest was history.

Roger and Marilyn were married in April 1955. Roger continued his education at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa where he graduated with a Master of Divinity in 1959. They spent the first year of their marriage coordinating between Iowa City, where Marilyn was finishing her nursing degree before reuniting in Dubuque in 1956. They traveled to San Francisco in 1957 for Roger’s internship year, and returned to Dubuque where he completed seminary and was ordained in May 1959.

Roger’s first call was to a mission congregation, Christ Lutheran Church in Sedalia. Missouri where he served from 1959 to 1965. During that time Roger and Marilyn adopted two children Stuart Alan and Karen Kay. His second call was also to a mission congregation, Atonement Lutheran Church in Denver Colorado from 1965 to 1969. Douglas Dean, their youngest was adopted during this time.

During this time in Denver, he attended the University of Colorado - Boulder where he completed a Master of Reformation and Renaissance History and a Ph.D. in American Intellectual History in 1971 with the Thesis: Human Nature in Question: Protestant Responses to Selected Political and Social Issues.

Roger was then called to more administrative church duties when he became an Executive Assistant to Bishop Archie Madsen, of the Central District of the American Lutheran Church from 1970-1971. Then in 1971-1973 he was excited to be called back to Wartburg to be the Pastor to the Seminary Community and Coordinator in Internships.

In 1973, Roger was recruited by the Presiding Bishop to establish a new office in the American Lutheran Church; thereby becoming the first Director of the Office of Support to Ministries until 1982. He then became an Executive Assistant to the Presiding Bishop of the American Lutheran Church (ALC) with specific responsibilities to work on the merger and develop a new Lutheran Church: the ELCA

Roger was called back to become the President of Wartburg Seminary, where he served from 1983 until his retirement in 1999. This offered him the opportunity to mentor and teach Church history to the seniors, which he loved. Throughout his career he would say it was a joint effort between himself and his wife. Each call he accepted was accepted for them together. This was especially true at Wartburg Seminary where Marilyn became the campus “Mom” and mentored many pastor’s spouses.

Roger and Marilyn then moved to Estes Park, Colorado in 1999. They said someone had to retire into the Mountains, so why not them? They had already fallen in love with the town during many trips to Rocky Mountain National Park when they lived in Denver. Travel was another Fjeld family value, which continued into retirement when Roger and Marilyn enjoyed numerous trips together – often cruising with friends and family to various ports all over the world.

Once the opportunity arose to move into the newly established Good Samaritan Retirement community, they jumped at the chance! The moved in while most of the community was still under construction, and lived there for over twenty-years. Roger was also instrumental in helping establish another new mission congregation: Shepard of the Mountain Lutheran Church, this time with fundraising.

His memory will be cherished by his sister Beverly, his daughter Karen and granddaughter Jenesis from Alexandria, VA, his son Doug and partner Michelle, from Bernard, IA and grandchildren, Cassidy, Hunter, Rosalie and great granddaughter Coraline of the Denver Metro Area, Colorado. He goes on to join: his beloved wife Marilyn, his son Stuart, his parents, and his brother Charles.

A celebration of Roger’s life will be held at Shepard of the Mountain Lutheran Church, Estes Park Colorado on Friday, October 23rd, 2026 at 1:30 in the afternoon. It will be livestreamed at: https://smlcestes.org/online-services/

In Lieu of flowers, please honor Roger by sending a memorial gift to:

Wartburg Seminary, Attn: Development Department, 333 Wartburg Pl., Dubuque, IA 52003, or online: Wartburg Seminary Giving Please designate the Fjeld Family Endowment.

Or

Shepard of the Mountain Lutheran Church please send a check to 2000 Ptarmigan Trail, Estes Park, CO 80517.