Peter Conrad Jarnes

Jarnes Peter Conrad Jarnes, son of Hans Martinus and Laura Birgitte (Davnes) Jarnes, was born February 12, 1909, in Norway, the oldest of eight children. He died June 19, 2002, in Fallbrook, California, at the age of 93. Peter immigrated to America in 1927, graduated from Maplewood Academy in Hutchinson, Minnesota, in 1935, from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1939, and earned advanced degrees from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in 1945 and 1958. He was employed in the Adventist Church for 40 years: a year at Maplewood Academy, three years at Atlantic Union College in Lancaster, Massachusetts, nine years in the Minnesota Adventist Conference, and 17 years teaching at Union College. In 1937 Peter married Lauretta Wilcox, and they had two children, a son, Norman, in 1945 and a daughter, Ann, in 1947. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; three brothers, Norman, Swen and Carl; and one sister, Betty Holbrook. He is survived by his children; his brother, Haakon; two sisters, Alice Ellstrom and Laura Torkelson; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. In later life Peter became prominent for challenging Adventist tradition and doctrine, despite religious ostracism. He will be remembered as a man of faith who inspired his students and friends, a man of courage who was true to his conscience, a family man who loved his children and cared attentively for his wife through her final illness, and a devoted uncle and grandfather who delighted in his nieces, nephews and grandchildren. Good night, Daddy, Grandpa, uncle, friend. We will reunite with joy in the morning.

Published on July 14, 2002