Lois C. Dahlberg, International Ministries alumna, passed away in Kellogg, Idaho at the age of 92, on December 14, 2024. Lois was born in a maternity house in Phoenix, New York on January 6, 1932,the second daughter of Helen (Cook) and Earl Coleman.

When Lois was a young child, the family moved to an 11-acre farm in Bridgeport, NY, a small, friendly community, where she grew up along with her three sisters and two brothers.

At the age of ten Lois was presented with a Bible and encouraged to use it. They family attended a Methodist church and Sunday School. At the age of thirteen Lois joined the church. She was an active member, teaching in the Sunday School, participating in the M.Y.F. and serving as youth delegate on the official board of the church. Lois wrote about that time: “It was during this time that I really came to know the Lord Jesus Christ and to experience the happiness that trying to live a Christian life and being friendly and helpful to other folks can bring to you.”
Following high school graduation in 1949, Lois started nursing school at Syracuse General Hospital in Syracuse, New York, graduating with a Diploma in Nursing. During her first year in training, she began attending the Baptist church but her church activities were very limited due to irregular working schedules. During the training she met Keith Dahlberg, a med student, who was also a member of the Baptist church. They attended services and Youth Group meetings together. Lois and Keith were married February 20, 1953. Lois then worked at Syracuse General Hospital as a Registered Nurse for sixteen months until Keith graduated from medical school. Lois spent one summer on the Young Adult Staff at the American Baptist Assembly in Green Lake, Wisconsin.

While at Moanza, their daughter Judith Lee was born. She died in a tragic vehicle accident at 2 ½ years of age, while the family was driving back to Moanza after some vacation time in Leopoldville (September, 1959). Then on April 14, 1960, their second daughter, Linda Joy, came into the world. Two years later, Gary Clifford completed the family circle (born April 28, 1962). 2

In 1954 Lois and Keith moved to Denver, Colorado where she worked as a Registered Nurse at Presbyterian Hospital in Denver while her husband did his medical internship. It was also the year that Lois and Keith applied to be missionaries with the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society (ABFMS). In Lois’s application she wrote: “I have never experienced any personal call to the mission field. However, from the time of my first meeting with my husband I have known of his desire to serve God and the Christian cause as a missionary. Before marrying him I spent much time considering service on the mission field and with God’s help feel sure that I too could serve as a Christian witness and be happy in this kind of life. If I could be of help to people who know nothing about God’s great gift of life to the world, or if I could be of help in healing people’s broken mind or bodies I would like to do so.”

Lois and Keith were appointed missionaries with ABFMS on March 21, 1955. In March 1957 Lois and Keith, along with their two young daughters, Susan and Patricia, sailed for Burma. After studying the Burmese language for several months at Thonze the family moved to Kengtung. Here Lois helped her husband in the building up and re-opening of the war-damaged hospital and the operation of the very busy dispensary. Buildings were repaired, new medical equipment was installed, and an electrical system and generator were also installed. Keith served as the medical superintendent of the Kengtung Christian Hospital. During their time in Kengtung, their son, John Keith was born.

The family returned to the United States in 1962 for furlough, and after a military coup that same year, the Burmese Government refused re-entry into Burma and the family was redesignated to Thailand. Lois and Keith spent a year learning the Thai language before moving north to Maesariang only twenty miles from the Burma border. There were very little medical facilities available serving the area of 40,000 people. The Dahlberg’s began a small dispensary to bring a ministry of healing to the hill people who had no understanding of western medicine. Lois and Keith, with their fellow workers, gained the confidence of the people and they were able to inaugurate training programs in sanitation, nutrition, and maternity care. Eventually they were able to construct a twenty-bed “clinic hospital,” and were soon treating several hundred patients a month.

Upon returning to Idaho in 1981, Lois worked as Keith’s office nurse at his Medical Practice in Pinehurst, Idaho. She studied at Lewis and Clark State College graduating with a Bachelor of Business degree in 1988. Lois continued working with her husband until they both retired in 1993. After retirement, she accompanied her husband’s locum tenens work in nine states. Lois also volunteered doing medical work with her husband in Burma, Thailand and Papua New Guinea. Lois was happy with her opportunities to travel, visiting all 50 states in the US and many foreign countries.

Lois joyfully served on multiple church committees at Osburn Community Baptist Church and the Pacific Northwest American Baptist Women’s Ministries. She taught Sunday School and led Bible studies as well as serving as a deacon at her church. She was an enthusiastic member of PEO (Philanthropic Educational Organization). She also volunteered with The Staff House Museum in Kellogg, Volunteers of Good Samaritan Center in Silverton, Fuller House, and North Idaho Hospice.

Lois is survived by one sister, Edna Mirizio of Liverpool, NY; 4 children: Susan Dahlberg (Cleve Ashcraft) of Kingston, ID, Patricia (David) Cordier of Olympia, WA, John Dahlberg (Ho, Duan Meng) of Singapore, and Nancy Dahlberg of Kennewick, WA, nine grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.

A memorial service for Lois will be held on Friday, December 20, 2024 at 11:00am at Mountain View Congregational Church, 525 W. Cameron Ave., Kellogg, ID.

In lieu flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Shoshone Medical Foundation of Kellogg, Idaho, (SMC Foundation, 25 Jacobs Gulch, Kellogg, ID 83837) or One Great Hour of Sharing Offering, American Baptist Church USA, PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 10482-0851.