Oiva 'Jack' Rosenberg

BINGHAM — Oiva “Jack” Rosenberg, age 94, of Owen Street, passed away January 25, 2011 at the Somerset Rehabilitation and Living Center.

He was born April 26, 1916 in Paris Hill, Maine, the son of Arvid and Elizabeth (Kyllonen) Rosenberg. Jack grew up on the farm until it was sold and he went on to pursue his life. He then graduated from Elim Bible Institute in Lima, NY in 1960. Today he would be called a Non Traditional Student, as his family lived in Campus Housing for 3 years while he went about his studied and built up the church in Elmira, NY.

His interests led him to many different occupations from a Butler in Englewood, NJ and Sugar Hill, NH, to baker when he and his friend opened the Scandia Bakery in Brooklyn, NY; to Salesman for the Cushman Company for 10 years; and his first love of being a Preacher. As a preacher, he filled in for many churches; Finnish Churches in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Vancouver, BC, Washington State, Los Angeles, CA and West Palm Beach, FL. He preached for 19 years at a Beech Ridge Church in York, Maine.

Jack served as a missionary in Brit Guiana SA with World MAP Harvest, spending parts of several summers as Evangelist for the Finnish Free Church in Finland. He also served as the field Secretary for the Eastern Finnish Congregational Conference.

He was pre-deceased by his wife, Alma, E. Wirtanen Rosenberg in 2005. Surviving are his son, David Rosenberg and his wife Linda of Maine and Virginia; grandson Kyle and his wife Sarajoy of Topsham, Granddaughter Kara and her husband Daniel Cyr of North Waterboro; great-grandchildren, Madison, Dean and Elsie Rosenberg, Matthew, Jacob, Dylan and Kaden Cyr, and several nieces and nephews.

An hour of visitation will be held on Saturday, June 4 at 10 a.m.  followed by a Funeral Service at 11 at the Bethel Christian Church, Lower Main Street, North Berwick, Maine.

Committal services will be held at the Finnish Cemetery, Pioneer Street, West Paris, Maine on Monday at 11:30 a.m., followed by a gathering at the Rosenberg Farm at Bryant Pond. Friends who wish may contribute to Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 US Route 1, STE 1, Scarborough, ME 04074-9925.

Arrangements are in the care of the Johnson Funeral Home 26 Market Street, North Berwick, ME. Online condolences may be made at www.JohnsonFuneralHomeMe.com