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Major Harold Stromberg, 65, was promoted to Glory from Roseville, Calif., on March 8.
Stromberg was born Oct. 5, 1947, in Salt Lake City. The family moved to Portland, Ore., where he grew up. When he was a young boy, a neighbor introduced him to the Lord.
Stromberg enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and served in Europe, mainly Heidelberg, West Germany. Upon returning to civilian life, he became a manager at Lincoln Savings & Loan.
In 1982 he met his wife, Jeanne, while serving as service extension representative for the Cascade Division in the Boise, Idaho, area. In 1987, they felt called to Salvation Army officership and entered the School for Officer Training from Boise, as members of the Ambassadors for Christ Session. They were commissioned in 1989.
Stromberg’s appointments included corps officer at Berkeley, Salinas, Sunnyvale/Mountain View, Sacramento Bethsaida and Auburn, Calif. He also served in the property departments at Golden State and Del Oro divisional headquarters, and as divisional boys’ work director in Golden State.
Stromberg’s parents were alcoholics, and as a child he learned what it meant to be “on your own.” He wanted to ensure other children would not face the same sense of isolation. In 1994, while serving as corps officer in Salinas, he started the children’s community program, “Kid’s Cafe,” that provides a safe haven to at-risk children in the Salinas Valley. The program is approaching its 20th year of operation and is still touching the lives of Salinas area youth.
Stromberg is survived by his wife, Major Jeanne Stromberg; sons, Brian (Megan) Helton and Stephen Stromberg; daughter Captain Erica Helton; and three grandchildren, William Garrett, Aubrey Helton and Zoey Helton.
Lt. Colonel Douglas Riley conducted a memorial service March 16, at the Sacramento Citadel Corps.
Lt. Colonel Gladys Turner, 85, was promoted to Glory from Clearwater, Fla., on April 27.
Gladys Cointin was born in St. Louis, Mo., July 6, 1927. The family lived near a Salvation Army corps where she attended Sunday school and youth activities. After high school Cointin became engaged to Leon Turner. As both had decided to train as Salvation Army officers, they deferred their marriage until after commissioning.
They entered the Central Territory’s School for Officer Training with the Peacemakers Session, were commissioned in 1949 and married in 1952.
In the Central Territory, the couple served in several corps and divisional headquarters appointments.
In 1980, the Turners transferred to National Headquarters to prepare for the national Centennial Congress in Kansas City. They then served in Mexico City for four years, before moving to the South America East Territory in 1983 where Leon Turner became chief secretary.
They were appointed to the USA Western Territory in 1987, where Gladys Turner served as assistant League of Mercy secretary and Order of the Silver Star secretary and Leon Turner as assistant secretary for Program and Cross-cultural Ministries.
The Turners retired to Clearwater in 1995 after 43 years of active service. They undertook post-retirement service in Kansas; St. Petersburg and Miami, Fla.; and the Bahamas.
Gladys Turner is survived by her husband, Leon; daughters, Catherine (Glen) Strang and Karen (Bill) Bogasch; grandson, Daniel Strang; great-granddaughter, Avery Strang; a sister and three brothers; nieces and nephews; and great nieces and nephews.
Captain Zachary Bell conducted a celebration of life at the Clearwater Citadel Corps on April 30. Nephew Major John Turner brought the message.
Lt. Matthew John Pensabene, 51, was promoted to Glory from Kona, Hawaii, April 15.
Pensabene was born in Syracuse, N.Y., the youngest of four brothers. He graduated from Westhill High School and worked for a time at Kilian Manufacturing.
Pensabene and his wife, Kelly, attended The Salvation Army College for Officer Training with the Prayer Warriors Session. They were commissioned in 2010 and appointed as corps officers to Kona, Hawaii.
During the past three years at Kona, Pensabene dedicated himself to service of others and left a legacy of love, respect and faithful witness to God’s love in the lives of those he touched. Even in the midst of declining health, he had a strong faith in God and was committed to his calling as a Salvation Army officer.
Pensabene is survived by his wife, Kelly; brothers, Phillip, Terry and Jeffrey; two daughters, Kori and Nikki; and step-daughter Krista Williams.
Colonel Dave Hudson conducted a memorial service at the College for Officer Training at Crestmont on May 4, and Lt. Colonel Edward Hill brought the message.
Rev. (Dr.) Raymond A. Dexter, 89, was promoted to Glory Dec. 26, 2012, from Olympia, Wash.
Raymond Arthur Dexter was born Dec. 11, 1923 in Hartford, Conn.
He entered The Salvation Army School for Officers’ Training (SFOT) in San Francisco with the Soul-Winners Session and was commissioned in 1955. Dexter served as a Salvation Army officer from 1955-1975. While on the staff at the SFOT, he earned an Ed.D. degree from Stanford University. His dissertation led to the expansion of the school’s curriculum from one to two years.
In 1974 Dexter answered the call for a minister to lead the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Service Company chaplains’ program and was hired to lead circuit-rider chaplains across the 800-mile pipeline construction project.
Dexter became an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church in 1976.
Upon completion of the pipeline, he served as director of The Salvation Army’s Clitheroe Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse for 17 years, building it into the largest alcohol and drug abuse rehabilitation center in Alaska.
Prior to retiring, he served as director of social services for The Salvation Army Olympia (Wash.) Corps.
Dexter is survived by his wife, Kathleen; children, Charles (MaryLee) Dexter, James Dexter, Laurie (Ray) Fernandez; stepson, Michael (Shannon) Dooley; and six grandchildren.
Rev. George Anne Boyle presided at a celebration of life at St. Benedict Episcopal Church in Lacey, Wash., Jan. 5.
