7/16/1936 – 12/19/2018
Bruce Warren was born Thursday July 16th, 1936 at the Immanuel Hospital in Omaha Nebraska. The second of two healthy sons for Carl and Helen Berggren. Three days later, he was baptized in the hospital. After being released, the family moved from Omaha to Norfolk where they lived until he was seven. Around 1943, his father, a hard working traveling salesman, moved everyone to Lincoln where they would begin a new life in the capitol city. Lincoln was where he eventually went to high school, college, married, raised a family, ministered, and eventually died at 82 years old in hospice care at Tabitha.
Around 1955 Bruce was an active member of First Lutheran Church, where he was friends with a young farm girl named Joan, from the rural area of Walton who moved to the big city to work. Bruce offered her a ride home after a service, but she had to sit in the back seat because he had another friend in the front seat named Millie. While young Joan did appreciate the ride, she eventually took the front seat and became his steady girlfriend. They eventually married on June 3rd, 1960 and continued this union for 58 loving and committed years.
Bruce was a renaissance man in his own right. He took 3rd in the State Gymnastics championships. He was a diligent piano player who practiced 2 hours every day. Taught himself to play guitar, and eventually taught his parishioners. They even started a singing group called The Harvesters. He built his own canoe. He was an avid camper who loved to explore everywhere he went no matter how big or small. Music was always a big part of his days and late nights. He enjoyed Jazz, Classical, Rock and Roll, Folk, Vocal, and even Bagpipes. A booming voice in every sanctuary he visited, Bruce took his double baritone to the stage with the MasterSingers, a prominent choral group . He was a real life artist, ranging from complex calligraphy, intricate doodling and drawing, to many forms of mixed media. Most of which he would give away to friends, family, or waiters at whatever establishment where he was dining. His main focus for many years was biking across the highways of Nebraska, and nicknamed himself “Wind Warrior”, accumulating 3-4 thousand miles a year at his peak.
A Graduate of Lincoln High 1954, University of Nebraska 1958, Augustana Lutheran Seminary 1962, and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago 1979.
His true calling in life was his work with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America as a pastor of 56 years. He served as a full time pastor at seven parishes, and two as a interim later in his career after dipping into retirement age. Immanuel Church and Adullam in Bertrand, St. John in Schuyler, the Lutheran Student Center on the campus of UNL, St. Thomas in Omaha, Calvary in Swedehome (Stromsburg), Grace Lutheran in Hebron, American Lutheran in Cozad, St. Paul In Hickory Grove (Auburn), and Martin Luther in Johnson. Pastor Berggren will be remembered as a loving and active part of his faith and community. He was always evangelizing and wanted to grow his congregations no matter how big or small. Knocking on doors, or visiting the infirm, he was there when his community needed him. He earned a Doctorate of Ministry and took his many years of intense study into every sermon. Every weekend he would submerse himself into his message for Sunday morning. The preparation and editing that he put himself through was a true commitment and his congregation was fully invested in the message.
He will be missed and loved just as he loved those in his life. Bruce is preceded in death by his parents Carl and Helen Berggren, brother Clifford. He will also be reunited with his young son Andrew of Schuyler who met his unfortunate ending at the age of 10 in an childhood accident.
Bruce is survived by his wife Joan (Bank) Berggren of Lincoln; children: daughter Katherine of Kansas City, sons’ Sam (Kelly) of Omaha, David (Denise) of Temple Terrace FL, Thomas of Lincoln; Grandchildren: Kaitlyn (Derek) Cancelliere Natale of Tampa, FL, Rachel (Isaac) Schloss of Omaha, Jacob Berggren of Omaha, Tabitha Thornton of Ellisville, MS, Benjamin Berggren of Temple Terrace, Logan Berggren of Omaha, Keefe Thornton (Malvern, PA), Aidan Berggren of Omaha; Sylas Berggren of Lincoln, and Great-grandchildren: Avery Cancelliere Natale of Tampa.
Memorial Service 10:30 AM Saturday, December 22, 2018 at United Lutheran Church 5945 Fremont Street Lincoln, Nebraska.
Memorials to Lutheran Student Center Lincoln or N.L.O.M.
Roeder Mortuary, Inc. – Gretna Chapel
11710 Standing Stone – Gretna, NE – 402-332-0090
www.RoederMortuary.com
