James (Jim) Tonneson

James Owen Tonneson of St. Paul, Minnesota, died on March 26, 2025.

James (Jim) was born March 30, 1944, to Margaret (Thorenson) and Otto Tonneson in Minot, North Dakota. He grew up on a farm near Newburg and attended Newburg and Dakota Lutheran School, where he graduated as valedictorian in 1962.

Jim attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, graduating in 1966. He met his wife, Carolyn Heuer Tonneson, at Concordia, and they were married on June 24, 1967, in Bertha, Minnesota. They were blessed with three children, Mark, Scott, and Kimi, and lived in many cities in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Washington, eventually settling in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, where they raised their family. In 2004, they moved to St. Paul to be closer to their children and grandsons.

In May 1970, Jim earned a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was ordained in the American Lutheran Church on August 2, 1970, at Dovre Lutheran Church in Newburg, North Dakota, and served the McVille Lutheran Parish from 1970 to 1975. He completed Clinical Pastoral Education at North Dakota State Hospital and was a chaplain residency student at Rochester Methodist Hospital. He then served as head chaplain at the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center from 1979 to 2002.

In 1979, Jim became an Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) certified educator in the North-Central Region and, in 1985, an ACPE-certified supervisor. In his 29 years of CPE, he taught more than 150 students, many of whom he remained close to and mentored throughout his life. Jim loved his work with CPE students and considered it his most profound and important work.

Jim served numerous congregations across Minnesota as a visitation pastor and interim pastor. He served as visitation pastor at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in St. Paul from 2007 to 2013 before retiring from ordained ministry after 43 years of dedicated service.

Jim had many interests and hobbies, including riding his Harley Davidson motorcycles (especially with Carolyn in the second seat), flying a single-engine airplane, canoeing in the Boundary Waters, tractors, steam threshers’ reunions, farming, pottery, writing, woodworking, knife-making, spending time with Carolyn at their lake place, and anything that required using tools. He also loved traveling, reading, and having meaningful conversations with his many friends and family. He was an exceptional listener and sounding board for so many people and always made a point of staying connected to the people important to him.

Most of all, Jim loved his family—his children, their spouses, his grandsons, and the people he described as his “expanded circles” of the Tonneson, Thorenson, and Heuer families.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Margaret; his wife, Carolyn; and his brother, Jon. He is survived by his children, Mark (Tami), Scott (Jennifer Thorson), and Kimi; grandsons Owen and Noah Tonneson; sisters Joanne (Keith) Helland and Jeannine Bruesewitz; brother Jerry (Cindy) Tonneson; and sister-in-law Joanie Tonneson. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, colleagues, students, and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in St. Paul. Visitation with the family begins at noon, and a reception will follow the service.

Memorials are preferred to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. Gifts can be made online through the Gloria Dei website or mailed to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 S. Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, MN,55116.