Reverend Charles R. Paulson

Pastor Charles R. Paulson, age 83, formerly of Minneapolis, departed this life to be face to face with the Lord on Tuesday evening October 4, 2016 at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon, two weeks to the day after his loving wife Arlene passed away. Charles was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 20, 1933, to Arthur and Ruth (Gustavson) Paulson. Charles grew up in Minneapolis and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota and a Masters of Divinity from Northwestern Seminary in Minneapolis. He had an internship in Wooster, OH and was the Pastor of St. Mathews Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND; First Lutheran Church in St. Helens, OR; Emanuel Lutheran Church in Blackfoot, ID; Bethel Lutheran Church in Firth, ID; and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gaylord, MN. He was an active Pastor for over fifty years. After retirement, he served as a retired part-time Pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albany, MN while living in St. Cloud, MN. He also helped on occasion at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lake Oswego, OR, where he and Arlene made their final home together.

He met his future wife, Arlene Tollefson, at an adult Luther League gathering at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. They were married there on August 25, 1956. He enjoyed reading and traveling. Two special trips were to the Holy Land, Petra, and Egypt in February of 1980. In the summer of 1983, he and Arlene went on a five-week trip to Europe with daughter Susan and son John, which included Italy, France, England, and Norway while John was stationed in Germany. What he enjoyed most of all was studying and preaching the Word of God. He dedicated his life to understanding the Bible and serving the Lord as a Pastor and Teacher. He continued to study the Bible until the final days of his life.

He was a wonderful, compassionate Christian, dedicated Pastor, a loving Husband and Father.

He was preceded in death by his wife of sixty years, Arlene Paulson.

Charles is survived by two sons and one daughter, their spouses, and three grandchildren. LTC (ret) John Paulson (Janet) daughter Julie, son CPT John Paulson (Kirsten); Mark Paulson (Sonoko); Susan and granddaughter Sophie. He is also survived by his sister, Betty Thompson, of Minneapolis. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Visitation: 10:00-11:00 AM on Saturday, October 22, 2016, at the Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls
Service: 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 22, 2016, at the Olson Funeral Home Chapel
Clergy: Reverend Don McKee
Interment: Oak Grove Cemetery in Fergus Falls, MN
Arrangements provided by Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls, MN