In Memoriam

In Memoriam

We honor the amazing lives of our Midland alumni, faculty and staff. To notify us of a death of a classmate or family member, please email alumni@midlandu.edu or call 402-941-6055.

Memorial Gifts

Gifts made in memory of a family member, teacher, student or friend are generous and thoughtful ways to remember a person's life and accomplishments. When making a gift in memory of someone, please send your gift with a note specifying the honoree's name and address and/or contact information so we can send a notification that a gift has been made. 

Please send memorial gifts to: Midland University, ATTN: Institutional Advancement, 900 N. Clarkson, Fremont, NE 68025, or make a gift online.

Gordon Swenson '58

Gordon Swenson '58

Sunday, December 21, 2025
Gordon John Swenson, 86, died on October 18, 2025 in Boise, Idaho. Gordon was born on February 7, 1939 in Evansville, Minnesota to Rev. Swen and Mildred Swenson, and was raised in Aberdeen, Washington and Seattle. Gordon graduated from Luther Academy in Wahoo, Nebraska in 1957, attended Luther...

Owen Picton '60

Owen Picton '60

Sunday, December 21, 2025
Owen S. Picton, age 88, of Blair, died Thursday, December 18, 2025, at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair. Owen was born December 29, 1936, in Falls City, Nebraska, to Samuel and Martha “Roesch” Picton. He was raised in Falls City and graduated from Falls City High School. After high school he...

Melva (Grube) Schmidt '55

Melva (Grube) Schmidt '55

Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Melva Mae (Grube) Schmidt passed away on December 15, 2025, at the age of 91, following a recent fall. For the past two years, she had been a resident of Fieldstone Memory Care in Yakima, Washington where she was well cared for and known for being independent. Melva was born on March 11, 1934, in...

Doug Osborn '69

Doug Osborn '69

Monday, December 15, 2025
November 25, 1946 - December 14, 2025 Survived by wife, Gloria Menard Osborn; brother, Brad (Sandy) Osborn; step-sons, Keith (Michelle) and Todd (Dawn) Menard; grandchildren, Michael (Riley), Kayleigh, Michaela, Juliette, and Tristian Menard; nephew, Matt (Dawn) Osborn; niece, Amanda (Frank) Barron...

Michael Wilcox '71

Michael Wilcox '71

Thursday, November 20, 2025
Michael “Mike” Eugene Wilcox, 76 passed away surrounded by his family on November 9, 2025, at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, NE Michael was born to Stanley Wilcox and Norma Knott Wilcox in Council Bluffs, IA on March 29, 1949. Mike was the oldest of 4 siblings. His parents, both educators,...

Gordon Soderberg '54

Gordon Soderberg '54

Monday, November 17, 2025
Gordon W. Soderberg, age 92 of Blair, passed away November 14, 2025, at his home in Blair. Memorial services will be held Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Blair. Gordon was born on November 25, 1932, in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of Gordon T. and Blanche E. (...

Ilene Smith '71

Ilene Smith '71

Monday, November 10, 2025
Ilene Smith, 77, of Fort Dodge, died November 8, 2025, at the Marian Home. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, a fantastic nurse and a humble fighter who battled her health challenges over the years with courage and grace. Ilene Marie Franke, daughter of Norman and...

Rev. Harlan Heier '53

Rev. Harlan Heier '53

Monday, October 27, 2025
The Rev. Harlan Heier of Lincoln died on Oct. 20, 2025. He was 94. Harlan Frederick Heier was born on Oct. 14, 1931 in Wayne, Nebraska, to Frederick and Helena “Lena” (Bartling) Heier. He graduated from Wayne (Nebraska) High School in 1948, Midland Lutheran College in 1953, Central Lutheran...

Roger Lewis '71

Roger Lewis '71

Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Roger Lewis died Wednesday, October 15, 2025, after a series of health challenges. Lewis was born on October 13, 1949, to E. Earl and Evelyn (Hansen) Lewis in Fremont, NE. He earned an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Midland Lutheran College (now Midland University) in Fremont and later...

Ken Dale '44

Ken Dale '44

Friday, October 10, 2025
Ken Dale, long-time missionary, teacher, counselor, writer, and beloved friend, died September 8 at the age of 99. By some markings, Ken had entered into his 100th year, and for that he was quite proud. Born in the farmland of Nebraska, “Ken’s life was marked by a quiet strength and a breadth of...

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