Truman "Ted" Grant Bergman

Truman Grant Bergman died October 7, 2020. Ted was born November 29, 1938 in a small house on his grandfather’s place, the oldest of four siblings. He grew up on a farm 10 miles from Tulare, in California’s San Joaquin Valley, the nation’s most productive agricultural region. His fond memories of those years include raising rabbits, milking the black cow his father gave him, devotions at grandmother’s house with his 14 cousins, and going to Hume Lake for summer camps. His high school years included working with his dad growing cotton and alfalfa, attending Young People’s group at the Church of the Brethren, playing tennis, participating in the Bible Club, and his first car – a 1947 Studebaker Champion, earned from his first away-from-home summer job irrigating, mowing, raking, baling and stacking alfalfa hay. This was the beginning of a lifetime of love of old and unique cars, trucks, and tractors. He went to Westmont College for three years where he met Gwen. Gwen had grown up on a sheep ranch outside of Laramie, Wyoming, the youngest of twelve children. They were married in 1959 when they were both 20 years old and had two daughters – Nannette (who died in 1977), and Roxanne, who is married and now lives in Ohio. Although Gwen passed away in 2017 after several battles with cancer and myelodysplastic syndrome, she lived many healthy years beyond any medical expectations. After Westmont, Ted went one semester to the University of Wyoming to get to know Gwen’s family better, then to the University of California Berkeley where he received a BA in Physics (1961). While employed by the Navy, he took classes through UCLA for an MA in Engineering Physics (1964). Finally, he studied at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins where he received a PhD in Physics (1970). As a PhD physicist, Ted Bergman worked for 21 years as a civilian at the US Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, California designing optics, laser equipment and guidance systems for missiles. His job took him all over the world, including work visits on each aircraft carrier in the seventh fleet in the South China Sea during the Vietnam War to maintain a laser designator system. One day in February 1977, he flew to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. for a meeting. Four days later a phone call to his hotel room would change his life forever. “She’s gone,” were the only words that Ted could remember his wife, Gwen, saying. Ted had left Gwen with Nannette, their 15-year-old daughter, at the hospital in Loma Linda, California. Nannette had Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, plus a mild case of pneumonia the day he flew to Washington. He phoned her later from his hotel. “I love you Daddy,” she had said. And now, she was gone. Unable to find a flight home until morning, Ted searched his Bible for something to quiet his aching heart. He found comfort in the reassurance that the Lord would return soon. He turned to Revelation: Let the one who is thirsty come… I am coming quickly. “Yes, amen, come, Lord Jesus,” Ted prayed, as he wept through the night alone in his hotel room. Always a scholar, the Bible took on new meaning for Ted as he searched the Scriptures during the ensuing years, seeking meaning for his life. “What sort of person should I be? What can I do to hasten the Lord’s return?” he asked himself. Ted was happy being a physicist, but Nannette’s death had shown him just how short life is. It gave him a sense of urgency – if he was ever going to do anything for the Lord, he needed to do it now. But what would that be? The phrase that showed up time and again was that we are to be a blessing “to all nations.” However, his studies revealed a more accurate definition was “to all ethnic groups”. Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a witness to all nations, and then the end shall come.” Ted had found his answer. He could help bring God’s message to “all nations,” the unreached peoples of the world. Ted’s experience with statistics and data was a natural fit with language assessment. So at age 44, Ted and Gwen joined Wycliffe. After two years in Dallas as SIL’s first International Language Survey Coordinator, Ted and Gwen moved to Nairobi, Kenya for thirteen years as field workers. In 2000 they returned to Dallas, Texas to the SIL offices, where they remained until 2006. Continuing their work with Wycliffe/SIL, they moved to Westerville, Ohio in 2007 to be near Roxi and Gordon and family, to their “ranchette”, returning to their roots with two horses and a few acres of farmland which they leased to immigrants to teach farming. Ted continued to travel internationally (he visited 59 countries in his lifetime) and worked for Wycliffe/SIL until his death. He always felt amazement at how much of his previous experience God used in his work with language survey coordination. Ted said: I was raised in a Christian family and church. I can't say when I became a Christian nor any period of special growth. It was a little here and a little there. Westmont was good for me. Also, when so many people prayed and God extended Gwen's life beyond expected, that was a faith builder for me. By being a part of the team to bring the gospel to those without it, Ted was doing what Nannette’s death compelled him to do – bringing God’s word to all peoples. His latest interests included helping the deaf communities around the world to be included in unreached peoples needing the Bible in their language. The story of Ted Bergman, one of the notable pioneers in SIL, is a wonderful story of God's providence and direction. He is one of the original “finishers” moving in mid-life from one career to a second career of high impact in God’s Kingdom through Bible translation and language development He leaves behind his daughter and son-in-law Roxanne & Gordon Jantzen; four grandchildren: Jessica (Ben) Futoran, Drew (Amanda) Jantzen, Natalie (Tony) Corven, and Rachel Jantzen; four great grandchildren: Mckenna & Owen Jantzen, Kenzie Futoran and Milo Corven; and three foster great grandchildren: Mariah, Dakota and Jermaine. A celebration of Ted’s life will be held at Heritage Christian Church, 7413 Maxtown Road, Westerville, OH 43082 on Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 3:00 PM. All those who loved Ted are welcome. Please remember to wear masks. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be streamed at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84985076178?pwd=V25VMEpqTmllVUJvNGZ2YnhMM2hUZz09. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: www.wycliffe.org/projects/give-your-gift-in-honor-or-memory-of- a-loved-one; please include a note “In memory of Ted Bergman.”

Truman "Ted" Grant Bergman

November 29, 1938 - October 7, 2020