Obituary of Elenor Varberg

Elenor Swartz, age 88, most recently from St. Paul, MN, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 27, 2023, with her daughter, Becky, and husband at her side.

Florence Elenor Swartz was born on June 2nd, 1934, to Carl and Florence Swartz, who had immigrated from Sweden.  Since her mother's name was also Florence she always used her middle name "Elenor." She grew up in Union, New Jersey, where her parents were active in the Pleasantdale Baptist Church in West Orange, NJ.  Elenor developed a personal faith in Jesus while attending this church.

After graduating from high school, Elenor enrolled at Bethel College in St. Paul, MN.  While working in the Bethel Coffee Shop, she met a young man from Iowa named Dick Varberg. That spring they went on a choir tour together in California and their love for each other began to blossom.  During Elenor's senior year she transferred to the University of Minnesota and graduated with a math major. Dick Varberg proposed to Elenor on Valentines Day on the shore of Como lake.  They were married in the Pleasantdale Baptist Church in West Orange, NJ on August 18, 1955.

After their marriage, Elenor continued her studies at the University of Minnesota to get a teaching credential. Dick then enrolled in Bethel Seminary. In June of 1958, Dick and Elenor were appointed as missionaries to the Philippines with the Baptist General Conference.  Later that year their first son, Paul, was born.  On December 8th they boarded the ship, President Cleveland, in Oakland, CA, and sailed to the Philippines, arriving there on December 28, 1958.

Just three days after arriving in Cebu City, in the central Philippines, they moved to the rural coastal town of Tuburan where Dick was to take over the leadership of three small churches.  
It was here that they began to learn Philippine culture and the Cebuano language. As there was no electricity in Tuburan town at that time, Elenor had to use Coleman lanterns for lights and a kerosene refrigerator and a washing machine with a gasoline engine.  A second son, Dan, joined the family in 1960.  Dick and Elenor worked in Tuburan for four years and saw the church and several outreaches grow.  Elenor played a Yamaha pump organ for church services while Dick did the preaching.

After spending a year in the States visiting their supporting churches they returned to the Philippines and were assigned to the town of Masbate on the island of Masbate.  This required learning a new language, Masbatiño.  Dick and Elenor ministered on the island of Masbate for the next 33 years.  During this time, God added to their family Steve, Becky, and Debi.  Elenor homeschooled her children for their first few years of elementary school before they transferred to Philippine public schools.  God also allowed them to be involved in building up the Masbate Baptist Church into a key-center church. With God's help they started the Masbate Baptist Bible College, whose students would go on to plant many churches throughout Masbate province and southern Luzon.  Elenor was a regular teacher at the Masbate Baptist Bible College.

Upon retirement from ministry as missionaries, in 1997 Dick and Elenor returned to their home in St. Paul, MN.  She was active at Central Baptist church and enjoyed spending time with friends and family. 

Elenor was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Hazel.  

She is survived by her brother, Carl Henry Swartz; by her five children - Paul Varberg (Margie), Daniel Varberg (Sandy), Steven Varberg (Maricel), Rebecca Magnuson (Tim), and Debra Lake (Kevin); 13 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. 

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3:00 PM on Monday, December 11 at Central Baptist Church - 420 N. Roy Street, St. Paul, MN 55104.