Olaf C. Cartford

Olaf C. Cartford, age 92, of Moorhead, MN, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 16, 2012, in his home surrounded by family and under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.Olaf Christopher Cartford was born to missionary parents Richard Christopherson Cartford and Marie Mortenson Cartford on January 14, 1920, at Fort Dauphin, Madagascar. His early schooling took place at the Missionary Home and School in Fort Dauphin. All missionary children lived there together in a dormitory setting as did he from age six years old and on. In 1936, Olaf left his parents and a younger brother and sister and set out for the US to continue his education. He began his schooling in the United States his junior year and graduated from Northfield high school. During his college years, his home was where he hung his hat. While continuing his education, he spent his summers working at the Brooklyn Shipyards, the Gary Steel Mines, the building of Camp McCoy in Wisconsin, as well as a couple of Bible camps. He graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, and Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was ordained a pastor. He joined the US Naval Reserve as a Chaplain. When his father and mother returned to the United States, they came to Northfield; it had been ten years since he'd last seen them. Olaf served at St. John's in Northfield for a year and then continued his studies at Princeton Seminary in New Jersey receiving his Masters Degree in Theology. Olaf accepted an interim call to serve Trinity Lutheran Church in Crookston before accepting a call to serve the Wadena/Verndale Minnesota parish. It was while serving in Crookston that Olaf met his future wife. Olaf married Verna Lorraine Matson in Crookston, Minnesota on May 25, 1951, and together they served the Wadena parish for sixteen years. Olaf was then selected to become assistant to the district president of what is now known as the ELCA's Northern Minnesota District. Olaf served under T C Hanson, Cecil Johnson, and Gilbert Lee until 1985 when he retired. He and Verna continued to live in Moorhead. He was honored with a doctoral degree by the district and Concordia College. Olaf is survived by his wife of 62 years, Verna Cartford of Moorhead, MN; sisters, Astrid Richard Blackwell of Bend, OR and Alfa Aaland of Zumbrota, MN; brother, Gerhard Polly Cartford of St. Paul, MN and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Trinity Lutheran Church, Concordia College, or the Rotary Foundation.