Carl J. Listug

Pastor Carl John Listug, age 82 of Glenwood died peacefully, Thursday, October 24, 2019 at home. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, November 17th at Glenwood Lutheran Church with Rev. Krista Lee officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood.  

Carl John Listug, the son of Carl and Ann Christine (Thompson) Listug, was born on April 18, 1937 in Roseau, MN. He grew up in Roseau with his identical twin brother, Cliff and his older brother Ted. Carl was active in Boy Scouts and enjoyed hockey, golf, hunting, fishing and camping. He was diagnosed with Polio at the age of 14 and underwent treatment and rehabilitation in the Cities. He enjoyed his time each summer with his grandparents on their farm. Carl attended Moe Lutheran Church in Roseau where he substitute taught Sunday school as he got older. He graduated from Roseau High School in 1955.

Carl attended Bemidji State College for two-years before transferring to the University of Minnesota, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1960. He was active in the Lutheran student associations at both campuses. He then served in the U.S. Army after which he worked as a mechanical engineer at Fairbanks Morse in Beloit, WI. Carl entered Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa in 1963, and later transferred to Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN, where he graduated with a Masters of Divinity in 1967. Carl’s first ministerial call was to First Lutheran in Detroit Lakes. In 1968, he relocated to rural Glenwood, MN, where he pastored at Barsness Lutheran and Chippewa Falls Lutheran before accepting his final call to serve at Grace Lutheran Church in Belgrade. After his retirement from fulltime ministry, Carl enjoyed many interim ministries in MN.

On December 27, 1970, Carl was united in marriage to Judith Johnson of Cando, ND, who was teaching in Osakis at the time. They were married at Good Shepherd Lutheran in Moorhead, MN. They lived together in rural Glenwood where they raised their children Lori and Melissa. Later they moved to Belgrade, Minnesota, and then built a home and retired in Glenwood.

Carl was a longtime member of the Sons of Norway and Lions Club. He was the first Hospice chaplain in Pope County. He visited shut-ins, formed a prison ministry group, participated in refugee resettlement, and he ministered to those who were sick and facing the AIDS epidemic. Most of all, Carl loved Youth Ministry. His favorite activities with the youth included camping, canoeing, numerous trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, as well as backpacking in the Colorado Mountains, attending all the national youth conventions, accompanying students on seminary visits, visiting other faiths (Synagogues and Mosques), working in homeless shelters, and doing outdoor retreats.

Carl loved his wife and family. He especially enjoyed spending time with them traveling and at the family cabin. He also loved the outdoors, camping, hiking, canoeing, water skiing, snow skiing, and just sitting on the deck at the cabin listening to the loons. He loved to golf and travel (or both together!). He loved going to the theatre and listening to music. He enjoyed a special relationship with his identical twin brother, Cliff, and spending time with friends.

Carl is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Judy Listug; two daughters, Lori (Dane) Listug-Lunde of Sartell, MN, and Melissa (Brady) Listug Klick of Glenwood; four grandchildren, Sierra, Zinnia, Ethan, and Anders; his twin brother, Cliff (Kaye) Listug of San Diego, CA; and sister-in-law, Ann Listug of Burnsville, MN; his wife’s sisters, Sharon (Denny) Miller of West Fargo, ND and Corrine (Bill) Weiser of Dayton, NV as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Ann Listug; his older brother, Ted Listug; a brother-in-law, Eldon Johnson; and father and mother-in-law, Harold and Vivian Johnson.

Carl will be remembered for his kindness and compassion. His faithfulness and sense of grace. His stories and sense of humor. His passion for the outdoors and his sense of adventure. His courage and sense of justice.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.