In 1962, when Pam and her husband Jim married, it never occurred to her that she might one day pursue her master’s in divinity and want to become a Pastor. In fact, being a wife and starting their family was a great joy and “…in those days it wasn’t typical for both parents to work. It was also not common practice for women to be ordained.”

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Originally from Southern California, Pam and Jim lived in Simi Valley for 13-years. Pam enrolled her youngest in a local community college pre-school with the requirement that she be enrolled at the college. She had been working part-time at a finance office so she pursued accounting and took a pottery class. It was not long before she realized pottery was her passion and turned it into a 20-year “hobby” with her art being featured and sold in local stores and art fairs in the area. A job change for Jim led them to Seattle in the mid- '70s.

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In 2012 Beth Elness-Hanson invited Pam to audit her workshop on prayer at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. If you were 55 or older the cost was only $100. When the workshop ended Pam knew she wanted to continue her education and enrolled the next semester at Trinity Lutheran College in Biblical Studies to pursue her BA. Pam was part of the last graduating class at TLC.

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She is now in her final year at Luther Seminary and is still sure of her calling to be a Pastor. She is currently working on her Clinical Pastoral Education Chaplain Internship at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham. Today Pam and Jim have three grown children, six grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Two of the three kids live in the area and are part of the family business.

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Pam is proof that calling doesn’t end at a certain age and it is never too late to keep learning. Calling often takes you on the most unexpected journey to places you never imagined you would go.

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Trinity Education Foundation is honored to have helped Pam follow her calling through our Seminary Scholarships

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