Rev. Dr. Karl
H. Brevik
Karl Herman Brevik died October 27, 2003, of heart complications.
For the past 17 years, he has been a resident of Indian Wells, California. He was born April 27, 1928. He was the son of Martin H. and Eva E. Brevik of Twin Valley, Minnesota. He was baptized, confirmed and ordained into the Holy Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Zion Lutheran Church, where his parents were lifelong active members. He was active in all of Zion Church activities, Sunday school, Luther League, Choir and Pocket Testament League. He was the first Boy Scout in Twin Valley to achieve Eagle Scout rank in the Twin Valley troop. Following graduation from Twin Valley High School, where he was selected a member of the National Honor Society, he enlisted in the US Navy, attended Sonar School in San Diego and served at sea on several destroyers as Sonar Officer in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean.
After naval service, he enrolled at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, majoring in Philosophy and History. A baritone in the renowned Concordia College Choir, he traveled to Norway to tour with the choir in 1949, the first trip abroad under the director of Conductor Paul J. Christensen. While at Concordia, he worked in the Public Relations office contacting prospective students for the college. He graduated with honors and was elected as "Class Orator" to speak at graduation ceremonies. He married Phyllis Jean Overvold of Moorhead, Minnesota, also a Concordia graduate.
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Upon graduation from Concordia, he attended Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He graduated with C.T. and M.Th degrees. Following ordination, he accepted a call to Kerkhoven Lutheran Church, Kerkhoven, Minnesota, and a part time call to teach in the Religion Department at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.
In 1956, he was called as Parish Minister to Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, serving under Dr. A. Rueben Gornitzka. At Central he produced Adult Education and Adult Confirmation programs, bringing hundreds of adults into Central's membership. He established an Altar and Liturgical guild which had over 200 active members that cared for the liturgy and needs of Central Services. During his years at Central he taught in the Christianity Department of Augsburg College and lectured at Augsburg Services.
His next call was to Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Kalispell, Montana, as Senior Pastor. Bethlehem was the largest parish in the Rocky Mountain District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. During this time he served as a delegate to the World Council of Churches Assembly in New Delhi, India in 1961. Also, in 1961, he was selected to be listed in "Who's' Who in the West".
Called as Senior Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Evanston, Illinois, he served that position for fourteen years. During this time, he did graduate work at Syracuse University, Princeton Seminary and Garrett Northwestern Seminary. He served as editor of the "Chicago Metropolitan Newsletter", wrote book reviews regularly for the Augsburg Publishing Newsletter and published a series of studies of the Book of Revelation for the ALC Evangelism Department. An authority on parish long range planning, he wrote a series for the ALC on parish planning and leadership at parish planning conferences in numerous congregations. He wrote the synodical Lenten Book for the ALC in 1970, titled "No Time for Fragments"; this book was a best seller. He published many monographs and articles for Augsburg and numerous books under the name of Cathedral Publishing House in Birmington, Michigan. He also wrote 'A Study of the Holy Spirit' which was used throughout the ALC in local parishes for Bible Studies. He contributed articles to all synodical magazines. He served as Chairman of the Chicago Symphony Board and numerous boards and committees at the local, district and synodical levels. His last two parishes were in Kankakee, Illinois and Bolingbrook, Illinois.
In 1981, he and his wife, Sharon Lee Posing Brevik, formed Brevik Travel International, Inc., a Group Travel Company specializing in the preparation of Custom itineraries worldwide for Lutheran Clergy and congregations and for other denominations. He traveled widely over the last 22 years and visited over seventy countries. He, together with his wife, was a participant in the first Western Group to visit and cruise the Amur River in Siberia after the fall of communism. His company was a leader in arranging tours to the Middle East. He wrote detailed itineraries for pastors with interest in Biblical sites in Israel Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Greece.
His wife, Sharon Lee Brevik of Indian Wells, California; four children and three stepchildren mourn him. Katherine Helen Brevik of Portland, Oregon; Martin Paul Brevik of Boise, Idaho; Arndt Karl Brevik of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Philip Andrew Brevik of Durango, Colorado; Greg Alan Marshall of Boise, Idaho; Bruce Edward Marshall of Boise, Idaho, (Deceased); Kurt Bradford Marshall of Crandon, Wisconsin; 14 grandchildren, Jonah Edera, Kjirsten Jean, Ryan Martin, Heidi Marie, Calvin Raines, Teresa Ann, Karl Christian, Cody Hunter, Erik Halden, Micah Nickolas, Lisa Irene, Brandon Richard, Hunter Lee, Chase Dennis. Two great grandchildren; Mari Ann and Gina Rae.
The funeral will be held in Boise, Idaho, Saturday November 1, at Immanuel Lutheran Church (ELCA) synod at 2:00 P.M. Open casket viewing 12:00-2:00 at the church. Officiating at the funeral will be a longtime friend and college classmate, Rev. Marlin Wogstad, of Houston, Texas. Another funeral service will be held on Tuesday, November 4, in Twin Valley, Minnesota, at 10 A.M. Burial will be in Twin Valley, Minnesota. Officiating will be Rev. Bade of Zion Lutheran Church.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Zion Lutheran Church (Missions), Visiting Nurses (Hospice) Assoc. of Palm Desert, Union League Club of Chicago (Boys and Girls Club), Democratic National Committee.
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Local Arrangements are under the direction of the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel, Boise.
