Dellos Eldon Louden, 88, died peacefully Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019, at his home in Salem, Ore. with his wife, Wanda, at his side.
He was born Jan. 11, 1931 to Marshall Eli and Gladys Irene (Lundsford) Louden in Alliance, Neb. His brother Darrell was born in 1932. After moving to Bonners Ferry, his sister Roxie was born in 1941.
Dellos graduated from Bonners Ferry High School in 1948. He attended Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada from 1948 to 1953. Entering the Army in 1953, he served in Korea as a Sergeant in the 17th Infantry Regiment, returning home in 1955 with an honorable discharge. He served in the National Guard for eight years.
Soon after returning home, his father instructed him it was time to find a good wife and begin his own home. His response was to visit a Free Methodist Church (FMC) summer camp where he caught the eye of Wanda Eplin. Two months later on September 25, 1955, they were married at the Queen Avenue FMC in Spokane.
Dellos worked at various jobs including a URM warehouse in Spokane, the National Forest Service in Bonners Ferry, and a family business with his father. In 1964, they discerned God’s call to be in the pastoral ministry. Dellos and Wanda pastored the FMC in Wilder, Idaho from 1964-66, and Cloverland, Wash., from 1966-72, often supplementing his pastoral duties by working as a farm hand.
After serving at the Walla Walla FMC from 1972-75, Dellos invested 11 years in the Bonners Ferry FMC. During his tenure there, the church grew, bought property, and by 1980 had moved into the new facility Dellos helped build. His last pastorates included a return to Cloverland, which involved moving the congregation to Clarkston from 1988-92, and the Queen Avenue FMC in Spokane from 1992-95. Following his retirement in 1995, he continued to be active in volunteer ministry and mentorship at the Opportunity Christian Fellowship until they returned to Clarkston in 1999, until 2015 when they moved to Salem, Ore., to live near their son’s family.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Wanda; their five children, Twila (Lee Barbour), Tempest (Alan Canon), Tracy (Julie), Terry (Jarilyn), and Truedell (Roger Anderson); 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and Buddy, his faithful schnauzer.
A memorial service will be held at a future date.
