In Honor Of My Pastor, My Mentor, My Friend.

🕊 Honoring Pastor John G. Nordstrom Sr.: A Life That Shaped Mine.


On September 1, 2025, Pastor John Gary Nordstrom Sr. crossed the finish line of a life lived with unwavering faith, quiet strength, and deep love. For me—and for so many others—his passing marks the end of an era, but not the end of his influence.


I first encountered the Nordstrom family as a sixth grader, when John Jr. helped guide me to the Lord. From that moment on, Pastor Nordstrom and his wife Phyllis welcomed me into their lives with open arms. I wasn’t just a visitor—I was family. Their home was a sanctuary of encouragement, prayer, and spiritual formation. My faith took root in their care, and it has flourished ever since.


Even after I moved to Kansas, attended Texas Bible College, married, raised a family, and entered ministry myself, the Nordstroms remained a steady presence. Whether through a phone call, a handwritten note, or a quiet word of encouragement, they reminded me that I was never walking alone.


Pastor Nordstrom’s life was marked by resilience. When his health failed and no church would hire a dying man, he planted one himself—Christ Community Church in Ottawa, Illinois. He preached sitting down when strength waned, and he lived out the Gospel through two kidney transplants, cancer, and heart failure. His faith was never flashy, but it was fierce. Like the three young men in Babylon, he believed God could deliver—but even if He didn’t, he would not bow.


He and Phyllis were partners in every sense—66 years of love, ministry, and mutual shaping. Their children—John Jr., Paul, Philip, and Pamela—continue that legacy, each of them touching lives as their parents did. I count myself among the many blessed by their kindness, wisdom, and example.


Today, my heart is full of gratitude and grief. I mourn the loss of a pastor, a mentor, and a spiritual father. But I also celebrate the life of a man who lived 30,947 days without wasting one. Pastor Nordstrom didn’t just preach the Gospel—he embodied it.


To the Nordstrom family: thank you. Your love helped shape my calling. Your faith helped anchor my own. And your legacy will continue to ripple through every life you’ve touched—including mine.


“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” —2 Timothy 4:7
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Pastor Nordstrom's Obituary.

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john_gary_nordstrom_sr._obituary_september_1_2025_-_gladfelter-roetker_funeral_home.pdf
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