Rev. Arnold V. Thoren

Rev. Dr. Arnold V. Thoren Jr., 87, of Rock Island, died Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018 at Hope Creek Care Center, East Moline. Funeral services are 10:30 a.m. on Monday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2136 Brady St., Davenport. Burial is at Memorial Park Cemetery, Moline. Visitation is 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 3030 7 Ave., Rock Island. Memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church. Arnold Victor Thoren was born on Jan. 8, 1931 in Malmo, Neb., a son of Arnold Sr. and Clara Holtorf Thoren. He married Barbara A. Bjurstrom on June 30, 1956 in Moline. Rev. Thoren graduated from Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kan. He then attended the Augustana Lutheran Seminary, Rock Island, graduating in 1956. He was Ordained in 1956 as a Pastor of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. Rev. Thoren received a Master’s Degree from Moorhead State University in 1973 and a Doctorate in Ministry from the Lutheran School of Theology Chicago in 1978. He served congregations in Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. He retired in 1996 from First Lutheran Church, Galesburg. He was an avid reader, loved being with his family and enjoyed model railroading, woodworking, classical music and playing the guitar. He loved his family, his Lord and his church. Survivors include his wife, Barbara; daughters and sons-in-law, Pamela and Mark Hall, Urbandale, Iowa, Christine and Tom Steger, Milan and Elizabeth and Garth Peterson, Bruchmuhlbach, Germany; son and daughter-in-law, David and Janet Thoren, Boone, Iowa; grandchildren, Garrett, Quentin, Kailee, Bradley, Lindsey, Chastity (Rick), Kajsa (Vern), Lukas (Kennedy) and Jacob; great granddaughters, Daisy and Violette; sister, Winifred Elmborg Blue Rapids, Kan.; and brother, Paul Thoren, Lincoln, Neb. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister. Online condolences may be left at wheelanpressly.com.

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