Esther Stenberg, widow of former Canada Conference superintendent Gerald Stenberg, passed away on November 28, 2024. She was 99.
Esther Ruby Carlson was born to Elmer and Ella Carlson in a small log cabin near Roosevelt, Minnesota on November 23, 1925. Esther grew up in Warroad, Minnesota with five sisters and one brother. She accepted Jesus as her savior at the age of nine through the home mission work of the Northwest Conference of churches in the Evangelical Covenant Church. She was later baptized by C. Gustaf Anderson in the Warroad River near the Canadian border of Minnesota. After finishing high school, Esther began Bible school at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis. During this time she also worked at the Sears and Robuck Company and enjoyed city life with her Bible school friends.
Esther met Gerald Stenberg during their school years when the neighboring Covenant churches of Baudette and Warroad gathered together. Their relationship blossomed at church events and at Koochiching Bible Camp located at Big Falls. These times at Bible camp were instrumental in Esther’s spiritual growth and in a growing desire to live a life of service to the Lord. They married on June 18,1946.
Together Esther and Jerry raised five daughters. They served Covenant churches in Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, Iowa, Oregon and Alberta, Canada. Their ministry continued after Jerry became Superintendent of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada. During retirement they served together in seven other churches.
Esther’s greatest joy was being a wife and mother to her five daughters. She dearly loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and prayed for them regularly. She was a superb homemaker, had a fervent love for people and a true gift of hospitality. Esther had the ability to make others the most important focus of her attention. Her joyful personality made her a dear friend to many.
Esther was preceded in death by her husband Jerry of 75 years, her parents, five siblings, and two sons-in-law, Rodney and Murray. She is survived by her sister Ruby Swanson, five daughters and four sons-in-law: Carol Sands (Gary), Judy Drebert-Hart, Bonnie Gustafson (Bruce), Sharon Tissell (Dwain), Darlene Anderson (Jeffrey), 18 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews and their families.
She is secure in the arms of Jesus.
Peace be to her memory.
