FALKENBERG, SUNDBERG

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Friday, December 01, 2006 at 04:28:13 :

Marin Independent Journal
Wednesday, January 17, 1990
Section B, page 2

REV. DON FALKENBERG, JR.
Presbyterian minister

The Rev. Don Ray Falkenberg Jr. of San Rafael, who had a long career as a Presbyterian minister, missionary and counselor, died Thursday, Jan. 11, 1990, after an illness of several months. He was 72.

Mr. Falkenberg was born in Westerville, Ohio, and grew up in Ohio. He received a master’s degree in psychology from Ohio State University and a master’s degree in theology from the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He earned his doctorate at the San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo.

At the end of World War II, Mr. Falkenberg and his wife, Anne, and their 3-year-old son were passengers on the first ship carrying families to the Philippines. During his five-year missionary tenure in the Philippines, Mr. Falkenberg was pastor to the English-speaking congregation of the United Church in Baguio, the Philippine’s summer capital. He led in the reconstruction of the bombed-out church edifice and served on a number of ecumenical groups working to heal spiritual wounds created during the war years.

Upon returning to the country in 1951, Mr. Falkenberg served as a pastor in churches in Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Kansas City. For 10 years he served as educational consultant for the Presbyterian churches in Northern California.

During the final 12 years of his ministry, Mr. Falkenberg was executive director of a career counseling service that served the clergy of several mainline Protestant denominations. The service operated in the Bay Area and in Pasadena.

Mr. Falkenberg lived in Fairfax for 18 years before moving to Pasadena. Since retiring 6 years ago, he had lived in Terra Linda and was active in Christ Presbyterian Church there.

Throughout his career, Mr. Falkenberg wrote a number of articles both for religious and secular journals.

He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Carol Sundberg of San Rafael; two sons, Ray Falkenberg of Fresno and Thomas Falkenberg of Marin City; and four grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Christ Presbyterian Church in Terra Linda.

The family prefers memorial gifts to Christ Presbyterian Church of Hospice of Marin.