BACKMAN, Pastor Arden H. 1912-2006

GULLICKSON, BACKMAN, REITAN

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 12/27/2006 at 20:33:31

Funeral services for Pastor Arden H. Backman, age 94, of Osage, Iowa, will be held on Friday, Dec. 29, 2006, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Osage with Rev. Dennis Hanson and Rev. Roy Ott officiating. Burial will be in the Whalan Lutheran Cemetery at Whalan, Minnesota on Friday afternoon. Pastor Backman, died Thursday, Dec. 21, 2006, at the Mitchell County Regional Health Center in Osage.

Arden was born September 11, 1912, at Whalan, Minnesota, the only child of Dwight and Isabel (Gullickson) Backman. He was baptized and confirmed at the Whalan Lutheran Church, and graduated in 1929 from high school in Lanesboro, Minn. He graduated from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, in 1933, and from Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., in 1937. On June 20, 1937, he was ordained at Whalan, Minn. He married Cornelia Reitan on August 9, 1942, at Hoff Lutheran Church, in rural Moorhead, Minn. Pastor Backman served 17 congregations in seven parishes at Maxbass, N.D., Bainville, Mont., Whitefish, Mont., Circle, Mont., Wykoff, Minn., Lime Springs, Iowa, and Carpenter, Iowa.

Pastor Backman was extremely proud of the fact that seven of his confirmants became ministers or missionaries. He retired and moved to Osage in September of 1978.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Pastor Backman is survived by his wife, Cornelia Backman of Osage; one daughter, Afton (Russell) Duenow of Fredericksburg, Virginia; three sons, Dwight Backman of Sparta, Wisconsin, Charles Backman of Osage, Stephen Backman of Clear Lake; five grandchildren, Bradley, Bjorn, and Corbin Backman, Bryan and Victor Duenow; and three great-grandchildren, Gunnar, Kai, and Colton Backman.

Arrangments are by the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage, (641)732-3706.

[ Slightly modified from obit in www.mcpress.com - Dec. 27, 2006 ]