The members of Westlake Lutheran Church already know the difference Elaine and Luther Olmon have made in our congregation. They have ministered to us as needed, been constant encouragers and risen to the occasion to do whatever it takes to be an arm of God's love in our midst. So it was with great joy that I read the column by Jannette Jauregui in the December 22nd issue of the Ventura County Star as she captured the early years of this wonderful couple. I have included the majority of the column here for you to read, but you may want to take the link to see the Olmons in uniform. (http://www1.venturacountystar.com/vcs/county_news/article/0,1375,VCS_226_5231482,00.html):
A friend told Elaine Helgestad about a dinner sponsored by a Lutheran student organization at USC. Elaine agreed to go. "We didn't have much money at the time and the dinner was only 50 cents, so I igured I might as well go," recalled Elaine. She and her friend were Lutherans. While there, Elaine was introduced to Luther Olmon, a doctoral student in the graduate program.That 1946 meeting led to marriage and a lifetime of service and commitment.
Both Luther and Elaine had recently returned from service in World War II. Luther served as a chaplain while Elaine was an Army nurse. It wasn't long before their life of service to their country became a life of service to their Conejo Valley community.
By the spring of 1945, the war in the Pacific had worsened. Elaine decided to enlist in the Army so that she could go overseas and help the wounded soldiers. For three months she prepared for her duties as an Army surgical nurse while also enduring similar physical training as the GIs. "We took care of the Japanese prisoners of war that had been taken to the base," said Elaine. "It was our duty to keep them healthy."
In early August 1945, Elaine boarded a hospital ship bound for Manila. "Three hundred nurses boarded the ship that day," she recalled. During the trip to Manila, American forces dropped atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war had ended, but their duties as nurses were not yet over. Elaine and the other nurses cared for American soldiers recovered from Japanese prison camps "We were told that our attitudes were very important because the boys were going to depend on us to keep their spirits up," she recalled. "It was inspiring to take care of them. Despite all that they had seen and endured, they still had a sense of humor.
After landing in the United States, Elaine was sent to complete her service at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Denver. An Army physician told her about a physical therapy program offered at USC. She enrolled in the program in the fall of 1946. )
Elaine Olmon was an Army nurse during World War II. She met her husband, Luther, during a dinner at USC after the war ended. )
Courtesy photos
Luther Olmon of Oak Park served as a chaplain in the Navy during World War II and the Korean Conflict.
Luther, now 87, enlisted in the Navy Reserve in June 1945 but had to complete his seminary studies at Augustana Lutheran Seminary before becoming an active military chaplain. Luther had already earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy from UCLA. Upon completing his training as a chaplain, Luther boarded a transport ship at Mare Island, where he was chaplain.
"We were like a ‘magic carpet,'" recalled Luther. "Our ship became in charge of sending replacements out to the front lines and relieved those who had been wounded." Luther provided Sunday services and prayer for the soldiers aboard the ship. "My main duty was to keep the morale of the soldiers as high as I possibly could," he said. Luther returned to the U.S. in the summer of 1946.
Luther Olmon had also recently enrolled at USC. He had completed his service as a Navy chaplain in the Pacific and returned to his hometown of Los Angeles to pursue his doctorate. Within three months, Luther and Elaine's paths crossed, and their dinner meeting turned to romance.
Luther and Elaine were married on April 21, 1948. Luther remained in the Navy Reserve and traveled with Elaine to Modesto to begin a parish for the Lutheran community. In the fall of 1951, Luther was called back to active duty — this time in Korea. Luther helped care for the Marines sent to a hospital ship from the front lines. "It was a costly war," he said. "A lot of lives were lost in a short amount of time." Luther was sent back home when the war ended in 1954.
That summer, he took a position as a chaplain to the students at UCLA. He and Elaine moved to Oak Park in 1978, and Elaine continued to work at a private physical therapy practice in Westwood. Luther became active with The Committee of Twenty-Five, a group organized to design the plans for building California Lutheran University.
He served as a professor in the philosophy department at CLU in 1961, before leaving to once again dedicate himself to his work as a Lutheran pastor, as well as his chaplain duties at UCLA.
Luther retired from the Navy Reserve in 1964 as a lieutenant commander. He and Elaine have continued to support communities throughout Ventura County and served as liaisons to the local Habitat for Humanity project, mentoring students at CLU. In the 10 years they volunteered, they helped build homes in Piru, Ojai, Santa Paula, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks.
"You see people in need, and you do what you can to help them," said Elaine. The desire they had individually as young adults to help others remained a goal they eventually shared together. "As a pastor, I went where I was needed, and was always willing to," said Luther. "That has been my purpose, to go where I am needed."
Yes, we at Westlake Lutheran Church know that Olmons always go where they are needed. We are proud that they have both been honored for their lives of service. Thank you Elaine and Luther for being used by God in such a powerful way and for your witness of faith in action!
I remember when Pastor Olmon and Elaine came to Westlake Lutheran Church to help us heal, during a difficult interim time following the departure of our Pastor and the call for a new Pastor at our church. Their presence and prayers were such a joy and a help, as we waited for a new Pastor to arrive. Luther's care and leadership led us in the right direction. Deepest thanks to Luther and Elaine for being there for us, during this time of concern for our congregation. God bless you both for your love and commitment to Westlake Lutheran Church. God bless you both. :)
Posted by: Carol Ziebell | December 29, 2006 at 09:21 PM