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Promoted to Glory
Major Elsa Forsberg was promoted to Glory February 28 from the Maryville Nursing Home in Beaverton, Oregon.
Born in Notteback, Sweden on March 21, 1914, Elsa Ehn met The Salvation Army after her family relocated to Stockholm while she was still a young girl.
Elsa entered training out of the Stockholm VII Corps and was commissioned in 1936 with the Guardian of the Covenant Session. She spent the next four years in various corps appointments until 1940 when she married Lieutenant Ake Forsberg. They served in appointments from north of the Arctic Circle to the tip of southern Sweden, including Stockholm VI and Malmo I. After Ake traveled throughout the United States as an evangelist with the Northlanders, he and Elsa decided to relocate to this country, and did so in 1960.
After three years in Minneapolis, Minnesota, they moved to California’s Bay Area, where they were active in the Oakland Citadel Corps. In 1968, they were reaccepted for service in the Army and held four appointments before they retired: territorial evangelists, corps officers of Portland Tabernacle and Los Angeles Congress Hall, and their last appointment as managers of the Los Angeles Evangeline Residence.
After retirement they moved to San Jose, California and eventually to the Portland, Oregon area to be near their family.
Ake predeceased Elsa in 2001. She is survived by her three children, Lennart, Bengt and Inger, and by six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Cards and remembrances may be sent to her daughter, Inger Stolberg at 19585 E. Miraloma Way, Walnut, CA 91789.
Brigadier Grace Strathdee, age 95, was promoted to Glory March 2 from Sunrise Assisted Living in Belmont, California.
Born December 16, 1909 in Superior, Wisconsin, Grace Bessie Spiller was the eldest of Captain and Mrs. Fred Spiller’s six children. She was commissioned in 1930 with the Trailblazers Session and held a couple of appointments before marrying Captain Ralph Strathdee in 1932.
The Strathdees served at the Lytton Children’s Home and in the Southwest Division before arriving in Inglewood, California at the height of the Great Depression. There they found the corps building leaning against a telephone pole. With God’s guidance and the support of volunteers and donors, they built the first of many corps buildings. In December 1936, the building—completely free of debt—was dedicated.
In 1941, after a few years at territorial headquarters in the finance department, they were assigned to Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. In December Pearl Harbor was bombed.
In 1942 the couple returned to the Mainland and resigned from active officership for health reasons—Grace had been in an auto accident in 1939.
In 1954 the Strathdees returned to officership and God’s promise to heal Grace was fulfilled.
Grace supported Ralph in appointments to territorial headquarters and to Northern California and Northwest divisional headquarters. In 1970 they were sent to the Alaska Division, where Ralph was divisional commander and Grace the director of women’s services and Home League secretary. In 1974 they returned to THQ where Ralph was assistant secretary for business, program and personnel, with Grace supporting him. During this time they enjoyed time with their son Fred and his family—wife Esther and grandsons, Mark and Brian.
Brigadiers Ralph and Grace Strathdee retired in 1975. Ralph was promoted to Glory in 1994.
A memorial service was held at the Concord Corps, California. Cards of condolence may be sent to Fred and Esther Strathdee and family, 147 Leslie Drive, San Carlos, CA 94070.
James Carl Selover, age 90, was promoted to Glory on February 19 from Valle Verde Health Center in Santa Barbara, California.
Jim was born September 8, 1914 in San Diego, California. After graduating from San Diego High School, he entered Salvation Army officer training and was commissioned in 1935 with the Challenge Session. In 1938 he married Isobel Ferguson and the couple served in rehabilitation centers in California and Washington.
During World War II, Jim took a leave from The Salvation Army to join the U.S. Army. He served with the Army Chaplain’s Corps and counseled many soldiers who liberated the concentration camps in Germany.
After his military service, Jim returned to his family in Santa Barbara. He resigned his commission as a Salvation Army officer and eventually became a field representative for the Automobile Association of Southern California, working there until his retirement in 1980.
Jim’s life was characterized by service to others. He played piano for Sunday services at The Salvation Army Men’s Rehabilitation Center in Carpinteria. When he moved to Valle Verde Health Center, he volunteered as pianist for the Sunday services there.
Jim’s wife Isobel preceded him in death. Surviving are their children: James R. Selover, Patricia Fitchen, Georgie Perkins and their families, including six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Jim remained devoted to the principles and work of the Army. Friends may contribute to a scholarship fund established in memory of Isobel’s parents: Major and Mrs. George Ferguson Memorial Scholarship Trust, Salvation Army College for Officer Training, Crestmont College, 30840 Hawthorne Boulevard, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275.
Longtime Salvation Army soldier Marvin “Jiggs” Lantz was promoted to Glory April 17, 2005 in Tucson, Arizona.
Born June 19, 1914 in Ridgeley, West Virginia, Jiggs moved to Tucson in 1951, where he owned and ran Lantz Texaco until he retired in 1982.
During World War II, he served in the South Pacific as a Seabee. In 1968, in remembrance of other veterans, he began his 5,800 hours of volunteering at the VA Hospital.
His commitment to God was the foundation of his life. He was a member of The Salvation Army for over 50 years and an active Sunday school teacher until his death. He served as corps sergeant major for 25 years. His favorite program was League of Mercy, visiting the sick and shut-ins. Prior to his death he volunteered four days a week at the Phoenix ARC, impacting the lives of men and women with his smile and words of encouragement.
Jiggs’ wife of 57 years, Ruby, preceded him in death. He is survived by daughters Lt. Colonel April (Charles) Strickland and Michal (Gary) Goforth, sister Margaret Black, brother Norvil (Joan) Lantz, grandchildren Craig (Leslie) Strickland, Captain Linnea (John) Desplancke, Captain Derek (Angela) Strickland, Charles (Elizabeth) Smith, Gary (Ynez) Goforth, and many great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.
In memory of Jiggs, donations may be made to The Salvation Army Tucson Temple Corps, 1001 N. Richey Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716.
Major Gene Bryant was promoted to Glory on April 25, 2005 in Houston, Texas.
Born October 27, 1927 in Lebanon, Missouri, Gene Pride Bryant discovered The Salvation Army at age 11 when he heard an Army band.
Gene served in World War II and in 1947 he married Mary Lorraine Cointin. The next year the couple entered training from the St. Louis #7 (Wellsmar) Corps and in 1949 they were commissioned with the Peacemakers Session.
The couple served in the Central Territory until 1964, when they left the work due to Mary’s health. In 1967 she was promoted to Glory and later that year Gene married Lt. Kathleen Gallagher. The Bryants were reaccepted as officers in 1971 in the Western Territory and served in El Centro, California, and then Gene served in finance in the Cascade and Alaska Divisions. They served in corps appointments in Hobbs, New Mexico, Ogden, Utah and Aurora, Colorado and in adult rehabilitation centers in Phoenix and Colorado Springs.
They returned to the Central Territory for their last years of active service. In 1991 they retired to Arizona, and two years ago they moved to Houston, Texas to be near family.
Surviving Gene are wife Kathleen, three daughters: Sharon (Dave) Gibson, Captain Jeanne (Greg) Shannon, and Kathy (Dave) Farmer; two sons: Glenn (Rachel) Bryant and Gene (Angie) Bryant, Jr.; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at The Salvation Army Northwest Corps in Houston.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial for a bandmaster podium is being established at the Houston Northwest Corps, 12507 Windfern Drive, Houston, TX 77064.
Messages of sympathy may be sent to Major Kathleen Bryant, 11910 Thoroughbred Drive #301, Houston, TX 77065.
