Reverend James Everett Thvedt, 89, passed away March 26, 2023, at Edgewood Vista in Brookings, SD.
Funeral services will be held at 11a.m. on Monday, April 3, at Ascension Lutheran Church in Brookings, SD. Visitation will be held the day prior from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 2, at Ascension Lutheran Church. Rude’s Funeral Home will live-stream the Funeral Service at www.rudesfuneralhome.com website. You may click on the link above James’ obituary.
James Everett Thvedt was born in rural Wildrose, North Dakota, on Sept. 3, 1933, to Joseph and Emma Thvedt. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school. He was active in Boy Scouts, achieving Eagle Scout rank. He graduated from Crosby, ND High School in 1951, and Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota in 1955. While at Concordia he met Gloria Hermodson of Beltrami, Minnesota, and they married in 1955.
He attended Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, interning at Bethlehem Lutheran in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He graduated from Luther in 1959, and accepted a call to establish a new congregation, Grace Lutheran in Newcastle, Wyoming. Jim and Gloria moved there with their growing family. He served as pastor there until 1965.
In 1965, he accepted a call to Grace Lutheran Church in Sisseton, South Dakota, where he served as senior pastor. During their 16 years in Sisseton, Jim and Gloria made many lifelong friends. In addition to leading Grace Lutheran, Jim was active in community and civic life.
In 1981, Jim accepted a call as senior pastor at First Lutheran Church in Brookings, South Dakota, where he served until 1993.
Beginning in 1994, Jim served a series of international congregations, starting with International Lutheran Church in Seoul, South Korea, then St. Andrew’s United Church in Cairo, Egypt, and St. Alban’s Church in Copenhagen, Denmark. He also served in an educational role at the ELCA Wittenberg Center.
Returning to Brookings, Jim continued to serve the church, producing the Hour of Hope radio broadcasts for ten years, and serving as interim or guest pastor for congregations in the area, including Trinity Lutheran in Estelline, Laganger Lutheran in Toronto, Sinai Lutheran in Sinai, Lake Campbell Lutheran in Volga, Faith Reformed in Brookings, and First Reformed Church, Volga.
Jim was a jack-of-all-trades, taking on any home improvement or repair task. He was especially fond of woodworking. He was a regular fixture at local road races, and ran his first marathon at age 60. He and Gloria greatly enjoyed gardening in their plots at the Brookings Community Garden.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Thvedt and Emma Jacobson Thvedt; two sisters, Elaine Andrist, and Eileen Aurand, and a son, Joel Thvedt.He is survived by his wife Gloria (Hermodson) Thvedt, five children: James (Rebecca) Thvedt of Minneapolis, Kristin Thvedt of Brookings, SD, Jonathan (Joyce) Thvedt of Hudson SD, Karen (Dan) Oie of Kenmore, WA, daughter-in-law Patricia Libby Thvedt of Altadena CA, and Joseph (Tami) Thvedt of Brookings; 17 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, sisters Ardith Andrist of Tulsa, OK and Sharon (Rick) Walker of Dominica, and brother Joel Thvedt of Minot, ND.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donation be made to Feeding Brookings (www.feedingbrookings.org).
