Lt. Colonel Olof Lundgren was promoted to Glory from Wall, N.J. (See tribute, page 22).

Lundgren was born in Huskvarna, Sweden, to Salvationists Oskar and Anna Lundgren. He testified, "God gripped my heart when I was a young boy, and I knelt at the Huskvarna Corps mercy seat and was saved." He then became a soldier and attended the corps until he moved with his family to the United States in 1928. He heard God's call to officership at the 1929 Scandinavian Summer Congress in Worcester, Mass. He later said, "[Guest speaker] Wiberg spoke, and God spoke to me." He entered the School for Officer Training in New York City from the Jamestown, N.Y., #2 Corps in 1930, and was commissioned the following year as a member of the Climbers Session.

Lundgren served in tent campaign ministry and at corps in New York and Pennsylvania before marrying Lieutenant Karin Carlson in 1936. Together the couple served in Scandinavian corps in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. In 1944 he became young people's secretary for the USA Eastern Territory's Scandinavian Department and the New York Metropolitan Division, and also served as divisional secretary for the Western New York and Scandinavian Divisions. In 1960 he transferred to Territorial Headquarters, serving in a number of roles. He also served in the New York Staff Band for 30 years, performing both instrumental and vocal solos. His final appointment as an active officer was as assistant field secretary for special services. The Lundgrens retired from active service in 1975; Karin Lundgren preceded her husband to Glory in 1996.

Salvationists of Scandinavian descent have a deep affection for Lundgren. During his 30 years of active service in the Scandinavian Department, he assisted countless immigrants and provided a vibrant ministry to Scandinavian-Americans. He instituted Scandinavian Night, an annual celebration at Centennial Memorial Temple in New York City that continued for nearly 30 years. In retirement, he served for 16 years as territorial liaison officer for Scandinavian affairs and organized the annual Scandinavian Congress. He was named Man of the Year by the New York Sweden Day Committee in 1973. In 1971 the King of Sweden bestowed on him the Swedish order of Knighthood, the Royal Order of Vasa First Class, in recognition of his long and devoted service to Swedish-Americans in the United States.

He is survived by a son, Olof Kenneth Lundgren of Cohasset, Minn.; a daughter, Karen Geigel of Bellaire, Md.; and four grandchildren. Messages for the family may be sent to Karen A. Geigel, 105 Stoneleigh Rd., Bellaire, MD 21014.