Milton E Tweit

Rev. Milton Elmo Tweit, age 96, of Mankato, died Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at Mankato House Health Care Center.

Funeral service will be 3:00 p.m. Sunday, June 26, 2005 at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Mankato with Rev. Daniel Basel officiating with one hour of visitation prior to the service at church on Sunday. There will also be a funeral service held at 11:00 a.m. Monday at Saude Evangelical Lutheran Church in rural Lawler, Iowa with Rev. Kent Dethlefsen officiating with one hour of visitation prior to the service at the church on Monday. Burial will be in the church cemetery in Iowa. Memorials may be given to Bethany Lutheran College or Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. Mankato Mortuary is handling the arrangements.

Milton Elmo Tweit was born on December 4, 1908 in Glenwood, MN, the fifth of seven children of Bernt and Mabel (Anderson) Tweit. He was baptized at Chippewa Falls Lutheran Church in Terrace, MN by Rev. Christian Bale and confirmed in the same church by Rev. Anton Belgum. Milton attended the rural elementary schools of Pope County, MN; Concordia Lutheran Academy and Junior College in St. Paul; graduating in 1930. He then attended Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO and graduated in 1935. On October 11, 1936, he was ordained into the public ministry by Rev. Norman A. Madson, Sr.

Milton taught Christian Day School and served as assistant pastor at Our Saviors congregation in Princeton, MN from 1935 to 1937. He served as pastor at Norseland and Norwegian Grove congregations in St. Peter, MN from 1937 to 1958; Saude and Jerico congregations in Lawler, IA from 1958 to1971; Bethany and Rose Dell Trinity congregations in Luverne, MN from 1971 to 1974; and East and West Paint Creek congregations in Waterville, IA from 1974 to 1981. Milton retired from the public ministry on June 14, 1981.

Milton served as President of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) from 1957 to 1962 and Vice President from 1950 to 1954 and from 1956 to 1957. He was a member of the Board of Regents of Bethany Lutheran College and Seminary, Mankato for 32 years serving as Chairman for 20 years and as an advisory member until his death. He served as Circuit Visitor of the Iowa and Southern Minnesota District of the ELS, Chairman of the Home Missions Offering Committee, Board for Stewardship and Synod Review Committee. He also was a member of the Committee of the Synodical Conference, which was composed of members from the Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Slovak Synod and the ELS.

Milton married Delphine Sonstegard on October 23, 1937. She was killed in an automobile accident on May 30, 1961. They were the parents of six children. Milton was married to Dagny Dale on October 21, 1962.

Milton is survived by his six children, sons, David (Louise) Tweit of Gibbon, MN, Paul (Mary Jane) Tweit of Mankato, Jonathan (Dawn) Tweit of Asheville, NC, daughters, Naomi (Dennis) Natvig of Pine River, MN; Ruth (Robert) Smith of Pine River, MN, Elizabeth (Arthur) Silverstein of San Diego, CA; 17 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; one step grandchild; two step-great-grandchildren; brother, Arvid (Marjorie) Tweit of Norwalk, CA; nieces and nephews. Milton was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Delphine; second wife, Dagny; three brothers, Chester, Henry, and Ray; and two sisters, Thelma Melby and Bernice Tweit.

Like the Golden Sun Ascending
Thanks to Thee, O Christ victorious!
Thanks to Thee, O Lord of life!
Death hath now no power oer us,
Thou hast conquered in the strife;
Thanks because Thou didst arise
And hast opened Paradise!
None can fully sing the glory
Of the resurrection story.