Kenneth Neil Bystrom

Kenneth Neil Bystrom was born in Ashland, Wisconsin on July 3, 1914 to Swedish immigrant parents, Israel and Ingeborg Bystrom. He had four brothers, Joseph, George, Wilhelm, Dale, and three sisters, Edith, Judy and Jeanette. He became a Christian at an early age and felt called to the ministry as a young adult. He attended Northern Baptist Seminary and Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, graduating in 1942. While at Moody he also met his bride, Ardis Jane Brown, whom he married in December of that same year. Ken also studied at Princeton Seminary in New Jersey and was ordained in 1948 after his first term on the mission field. Ken and Ardis joined Team Mission as missionaries and served in Columbia from 1943 through 1946 and then in Venezuela. In 1952 Ken joined the American Bible Society to head up their office in Caracas. In 1963 he was asked to assume responsibility for a new distribution program for Latin America. This led to significant travel throughout the region and included other countries around the world which could also benefit. Ken has visited 66 countries - some of them only once, others as many as thirty seven times. Ken’s unconditional love for others, humor, and love of ice cream and mangos endeared him to many around the world. He was a true adventurer. He loved to fly, found other cultures fascinating and always carried a great sense of fun with him wherever he went. He was humble, a deep thinker, well read and had a strong sense of fairness. His character was kind, generous and peaceful. But most importantly he continually strove to emulate his friend and Lord, Jesus Christ. It has been easy for his family to understand the concepts of husband and father through his example. He will be dearly missed by his wife, Ardis, and his daughter, Nancy, his daughter-in-law, Wanda Rowley, and two grandchildren, Tracey Gardner and Tom Bystrom, and one great grandson, Tom Bystrom. He will also be missed by many around the world. But we can all be comforted in the knowledge of Ken’s new heavenly home and reunion with his son and other loved ones there. We so look forward to seeing him again one day.

Kenneth Neil Bystrom

July 3, 1914 - May 23, 2014