Pastor Jan Horne

Pastor Jan Horne

Robins

Pastor Jan Horne, 88, of Robins, IA passed on into the presence of our Savior, Monday, August 26, 2024. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 31 2024, at 10:30 AM at King of Kings Lutheran Church Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Pastor Christopher Navurskis officiating. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

One of three children, Jan was born in Oslo, Norway on February 5, 1936, to parents, Arthur and Solveig Horne. As a child, Jan survived the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War 2. Because of the severity of the conditions at the time, Jan, along with his two older brothers, was sent to live in an orphanage. He was soon adopted by his paternal aunt and uncle, Karl and Herborg Steen, and grew up in their home in Kristiansand. He then served in the Norwegian Air Force for three years as an airline mechanic. Wanting to learn more about working on ‘jet’ engines, Jan immigrated to the United States in 1957. It was while he was in the U.S. Air Force that he received ‘the Call’ into the ministry. In response to this Call, Jan attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, graduating in 1963, and then attended Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, where he received his training to become a pastor in the American Lutheran Church.

On July 19, 1964, Jan married fellow ‘English 101’ student, Linda Nelson. Together they served parishes in several states, but spent the most time in Illinois, where they raised their family. In addition to his service in the church, Jan had a great love of flying, and was for several years able to combine that love with his love for the Church by becoming an airline pilot with Mississippi Valley Airlines, now known as Wisconsin Air.

As their children grew up, married, and began having their own children, Jan and Linda relished their new roles as grandparents, always encouraging and helping whenever they could. Jan and Linda continued to serve the church throughout their golden years. After “retiring” to the Cedar Rapids area, Jan served parishes in the Iowa District East as a substitute pastor and until very recently, Deep River, Iowa.

After suffering from kidney failure for the past several years, Rev. Jan Horne, 88, was received into the presence of our Savior on Monday, August 26, 2024. He was a most beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, pastor and friend, through whom the Lord touched countless lives with the gospel and through his kind and gentle spirit. Jan is survived by Linda, his wife of 60 years, as well as four children: Erik (Michele), Brent (Becky), Kirk (Julie), and Kari (Gary) Sicard; eleven grandchildren Kyle (Audrey); Brandon, Courtney and Aryka; Jennifer (Benjamin) and Kirsten; Grant, Jacob and Rachel; Gray and Hope; five great-grandchildren, and a host of friends and relatives.

The family would like to express thanks for all the medical teams, caregivers, especially the DaVita teams, Unity Point teams and the Robins community Police, Fire and EMT First Responders.