wfn.org | Clark Morphew, Journalist, Former Lutheran Pastor, Dies

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

December 27, 2002

CLARK MORPHEW, JOURNALIST, FORMER LUTHERAN PASTOR, DIES
02-294-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Clark D. Morphew, nationally syndicated religion
columnist, former religion writer for the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press
and former Lutheran pastor, died Dec. 24 of lung cancer.  Morphew, 64,
died at his home in South St. Paul, Minn.
     His weekly religion column was syndicated and published by dozens
of Knight Ridder News Service clients throughout North America,
according to a Pioneer Press report.  Brent Bierman, Knight
Ridder/Tribune news editor, Washington, D.C., said Morphew's column was
"the most popular religion column we ran for many years."
     Morphew was as a freelance writer before he became full-time
religion writer and syndicated columnist for the Pioneer Press and
Knight Ridder News Wire in 1982.  He served in that role until he
retired in 2000.  Following retirement, he wrote a column for the Metro
Lutheran, a monthly publication for Lutherans in Minnesota.  His last
column appeared in August, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
     Throughout his newspaper career, Morphew received various honors
from the Associated Press, Religion Newswriters of America and Religious
Public Relations Council (now Religion Communicators Council).	His work
was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in journalism.
     Morphew was born in Nora Springs, Iowa.  He earned a bachelor's
degree from the University of California, Northridge, Calif., and a
master of theology from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. Luther Seminary
is one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA).
     In 1995, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters by
St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., one of 28 ELCA colleges and
universities.
     From 1977 to 1980, Morphew was a curriculum writer and editor for
Augsburg Publishing House (now Augsburg Fortress Publishers) of the
former American Lutheran Church.  He briefly sold insurance for Lutheran
Brotherhood, (now Thrivent Financial for Lutherans), a fraternal benefit
organization based in Minneapolis.  From 1967 to 1977, Morphew served as
a pastor of Lutheran congregations in Grand Forks, N.D., and Cottage
Grove, Minn., before leaving the clergy roster.  Morphew was also a
school teacher in Iowa and California.
     Morphew is survived by his wife, Jeanne, and six adult children:
Michelle Morphew, St. Paul; Valerie Linzie, South St. Paul; Stacy
Osborne, Champlin, Minn.; Nathan, St. Paul; Bradley Linzie and Brian
Linzie, North Oaks, Minn.; and four grandchildren.
     A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Jan. 4 at Central
Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Minneapolis.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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