Lars Gren Obituary
E. Lars Gren finished his race peacefully at the Hospice Home Care in Little Rock, Arkansas on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, surrounded by his loving caregivers.
Lars was the second child born to first generation Scandinavian immigrants Edmar and Ingrid Mosby Gren in Huntington, Long Island, NY on September 9, 1936. Lars's birth was marked by an incredibly rare event. He was born en caul, veiled at birth within his own amniotic sac. Legend has it deemed for a "special destiny" in this world. Lars's parents were so proud of the circumstance that they kept the sac in a bottle which remains to this day.
Shortly after Lars turned 2 his family set sail for Kristiansand, Norway to celebrate Christmas with his maternal grandparents. It had been decided that Ingrid's parents would care for Lars for a season. In March of 1939 Lars parents and sister returned to New York without him. Sadly as WWII escalated in Europe, Germany invaded Norway the following year, Lars and his grandparents would come under Nazi occupation for the duration of the war. Hence Lars would remain for the next 7 years with his beloved "Far & Mor" on Norwegian soil, becoming fully ingrained in his Norwegian heritage and culture.
In August of 1946, a year after the war ended and just shy of his 10th Birthday, Lars was placed on a ship "The Stavangerfjord". Alone and unable to speak any other language but Norwegian, Lars made the 10-day journey across the ocean that would forever change his life and temperament. Unable to process the events of trauma and abuse he endured, he placed the damage done to him deep within his being and did his childlike best to forge ahead, beginning life in America with unfamiliar parents, siblings, language and culture.
The family moved to Mississippi to a farm where Lars would often reflect on his fondest memories with his reunited family. Though eventually they returned to Huntington where Lars finished high school and shortly thereafter joined the U.S. Navy. Completing his service, he married briefly but their union ended in a divorce which left him heartbroken. Lars worked in sales and catering over the next few years from Georgia to New York but felt a calling from God to train for a chaplain's position. Through the recommendation of influential friends, he was able to enroll at Gordon-Conwell Seminary in 1973 to pursue his goal. It was there at the seminary he became acquainted with Elisabeth Elliot, as one of two boarders who lived with Elisabeth shortly after her husband, Addison Leitch's death. Lars friendship with Elisabeth blossomed into love over time and the two were married in December of 1977. Lars, who often referred to himself as the third Mr. Elliot, with his Elisabeth, traveled the world together for decades to her speaking engagements as he managed her publishing, agendas and book sales. The two had a full rich life together as God ordained, not without difficulties at times but always devoted and in love with one another.
When Elisabeth was diagnosed with dementia in 2000 it was Lars, who was ten years her junior, who insisted on caring for Elisabeth those 15 years until she went to be with the Lord. Shortly thereafter he too began to succumb to the effects of dementia and chose to sell the house they had built together on the ocean front in Magnolia, Massachusetts over 40 years ago. Lars chose to move closer to friends who would care for him in time as his dementia progressed. It was in Little Rock in 2019 Lars finally recognized that his faith journey had not been fruitful and surrendered himself fully to Christ: heart, body and soul. On the very day Lars had a heart ablation procedure, he became a new creature in Christ and it was a beautifully evident to all those who knew and interacted with him. With a heart healed from the trauma he'd suffered all those years ago as a child, Lars moved into his years of dementia with a countenance of peace and gratitude that only the Holy Spirit could impart. For the last four years he has been living in a memory care home enjoying their garden and activities. On January 9th he fell and fractured his hip and never truly recovered.
As God divinely ordered, Lars was peacefully called to his heavenly home the morning of April 2, 2025... The En Caul Baby, born 88 years prior, had fulfilled his "special purpose" for God's glory through the stewarding of Elisabeth's legacy for over four decades.. Psalm 116.
Lars is preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; sister and his beloved Elisabeth. Surviving are his brother, Leif Gren; eight nieces and nephews; his stepdaughter, Valerie Elliot Shepard and her husband, Walt; their eight children and eleven grandchildren.
Arrangements are being made under the direction of Roller Funeral Homes of Little Rock, AR and a graveside service to be announced by Greely Funeral Home (http://www.greelyfuneralhome.com) of Gloucester, MA.
In lieu of flowers, Lars wished donations be made in his memory to the Elisabeth Elliot Foundation (http://www.elisabethelliot.org) which carries on her legacy and continues to point people to Jesus.
