Eleanor Aldene Jorgenson

March 4, 1919 - December 7, 2018

Eleanor Aldene Jorgenson passed away peacefully on December 7, 2018 surrounded by her children. She was born March 4, 1919 to Edward and Hazel Groat in Lemmon, South Dakota. At 6 months old, moved to Thunder Hawk, South Dakota. She graduated from Thunder Hawk High School in 1936 and attended Rapid City Business College, transferring to North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1938 where she graduated with a theology and business degree. There she met the dream of her life, Melvin Jorgenson and married March 18, 1942. Eleanor worked alongside her husband as a pastor’s wife in Jackson, Minnesota and Detroit Lakes, Minnesota where Richard joined the family. In 1950 the family of three traveled to Brussels, Belgium and on to the Belgian Congo in 1951. There Aldene completed the family. After the 3rd evacuation from Congo during the revolution, the family returned to Brussels in 1964. Eleanor, along with her husband, retired from missions in 1999. Her responsibilities included first being a wife and mother as well as supporting and standing by her husband as they established bible colleges, churches, and translations. Eleanor led and taught ladies bible study in English, Bangala, and French. She will always be remembered as being adventurous, strong in her faith and a real prayer warrior. Their life story can be read in The Talking Drums of Congo available through her children, or on Amazon. She was preceded in death by her husband of 75 years, her parents, 3 sisters and 1 brother. Survived by her 2 children Richard Jorgenson and Aldene (Todd) Birkeland; grandchildren, Sonja (Issac) Bindert, Chad (Heather) Jorgenson, Christopher (Nicole) Birkeland, Rachel (Russ) Harper; great grandchildren, Sophia, Hazel, Kaylee, Sydney, Emmett, Connor, and Lou. A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on January 26, 2019 at Abundant Grace Assemblies of God, 3516 N. McCulloch Blvd., Lake Havasu City, AZ. A memorial service will also be held at Celebration Church Assemblies of God, 16655 Kenyon Ave., Lakeville, Minnesota 55044 and laid to rest along side her husband at Dawn Valley Memorial Park, Bloomington, Minnesota. The date will be determined. Memorials designated to missions through Abundant Grace and Celebration Church preferred in lieu of flowers.