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Update
from the church renovation in kwaMondi, South
Africa
One year has passed since we met at the 2023
Family Reunion in Chicago. Garry Oftebro has sent
us this
report, with status on the maintenance and
repairs, done by the donations made during the
Chicago event. Enjoy.
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On
10
Ommund Oftebro's obituary and posthumous
reputation
When Missionary pastor Ommund C. Oftebro, Eshowe,
Zululand, had died March 2nd . 1893, his superior
in The Norwegian Missionary Society, Lars Dahle,
wrote his
obituary in ”Norsk Misjonstidende”. Here he prizes
intensely Ommund for his work as missionary and as
a human being, and values strongly his great
contribution,
and his cleverness and skills. One can however
wonder why he finds it necessary to
give space in the obituary for what he calls
Ommund’s lack of administrative capacity.
In fact, he excuses Ommund for these claimed
shortages. It is in fact God himself to blame
since he has not supplied Ommund with such
capasities as he could have needed. Also Ommund’s
colleague in Zululand, Zephanias Norgaard writes
in a later volume of the same publication an
unconditional tribute to Ommund, together with a
detailed description of the disease and of the
circumstances around what has passed, meaning f.
inst. the funeral and the engagement in the
society for the same.
Click here
for Ommund’s obituary
Click here
for Norgaard’s honoring
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The
Nordic
Combined
boys
- an Oftebro success story
This is a success
story about two completely ordinary
Norwegian boys with
a very unusual job.
**Update 03.01.24**
Follow Jens
at the coming Holmenkollen Ski Festival in Oslo a
well as the Trial World Cup in Trondheim later in
March
Einar unfortunately suffered a knee injury and had
to interrupt the season last year. He is gearing
up for a comeback in 2024.
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2023
Oftebro Family reunion REPORT
For everyone who did not get to attend the Chicago
reunion or who simply wants to relive this
fantastic experience we present you the official reunion
report, written by the eminent Christy
Strole
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Video
presentation
from the Oftebro Family Reunion in Norway in
2018
The Oftebro family arranged in the summer of 2018
a family reunion in Kristiansand and
Lyngdal, Norway. 240 family members from Norway,
USA, Canada, England, Germany, South Africa,
Australia and New Zealand met for the event. The
Reunion arrangement was followed up with a bus
tour in South-Western Norway. Many participants
from abroad also took the opportunity of visiting
Norwegian Oftebro relatives privately.
10-4-1-2-1-2 Karl Ken Oftebro from Durban, South
Africa, filmed thoroughly during the reunion and
during corresponding events. He has edited his
filming to a 40 min.
presentation.
See also the written report from the family
reunion further down on this page
Click here
too see the video
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10-4-1-2-1
Oddmund
Garry Oftebro
Garry Oftebro, living in Durban, South Africa,
is the son of the son of the son of the son of the
well-known, Norwegian missionary, Rev. Ommund C.
Oftebro, who in 1849 left Lyngdal Norway to become
a missionary in Zululand, South Africa. He was the
first of 3 Oftebro missionaries all together to
take this decision.
Garry is by virtue of his character, his nature
and his diversity of experiences and capacities an
inspiration for the whole Oftebro family. He has
an important role in creating contact between the
members of the great family, who has spread to
great parts of the planet.
Click here
to read Garry’s biography.
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The
Oftebro
family has sponsored renovation of the church
building at the
KwaMondi Mission, Eshowe, South Africa
During the Oftebro Family Reunion in Norway 2018
one arranged a “silent auction” for the benefit of
the earlier missionary Ommund Oftebro’s
congregation, KwaMondi Mission at Eshowe, South
Africa. A smaller part of the income was dedicated
maintenance of The Norwegian Cemetery, same place.
10-4-1-2-1 Garry Oftebro, living in Durban, has,
through great personal effort, kindly taken on the
responsibility of making sure that the money was
used in accordance with the wishes and needs of
the congregation.
Click here
to read Garry Oftebro’s report from the repair
work at the
KwaMondi Mission.
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New
Oftebro family book for sale
The Oftebro family has in Aug. 2018 released a new
family book. The book is called “The Oftebro
Family, Vol 2”.
The earlier family book, «Oftebro familien”, from
2004 is still available.
Additionally we have a small unsold stock of
“Oftebro Songbook”, also issued in 2018.
Click here for information about the
books. |
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Oftebro
Family
Reunion 2018
The extended Oftebro family arranged their Family
Reunion in Kristiansand, Norway - August
9-12, 2018.
Click here
to read the full reunion report
Click
here to read about the post-reunion bus tour
around southwestern Norway
Click
here to see the group photo
Click here
for the invitation to Oftebro Family Reunion 2018
Click
here for program for the round trip after
the reunion.
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The story of Arthur
and Ruby Mathiesen’s life
3-1- 1-8 Arthur (Dudu) Fynn Mathiesen was the
grandchild of medical missionary Christian T.
Oftebro. Having grown up at the trade station of
his parents Alf Mathiesen and Gudrun (Oftebro)
Mathiesen, he was very close to the Zulu culture.
He was an all round gifted person.
Arthur was married to Ruby Eve Skevington. Their
son 3-1- 1-8- 2 John Mathiesen has written a
report on his parents’ versatile lives in South
Africa and in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He praises
especially his father for his honesty and his
integrity.
Click here
for access to John Mathiesen’s report.
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Fundraising for
Mr.Thembinkosi Zondi, KwaMondi Mission, to
enable him to finish his theological studies
1-4-1-4-1 John
and Deborah Oftebro from Seattle, USA
were in 2016 the guests of 10-4-1-2-1 Garry
Oftebro in Durban, South Africa. They visited
missionary Ommund C. Oftebro’s old mission
station, KwaMondi Mission in Eshowe, and saw, with
Garry, the need for financial support of the
Mission’s own Vicar Zondi to enable him to finish
his seminary training.
June 10th, 2017 John and Deborah now report on the
development of this project. They express their
gratitude to the many supporters, and they ask for
our continued support. At the same time they
convey Mr. Zondi’s most heartily thanksgivings for
all help you have given him.
Our respect for the courage, persistence and
faithfulness of missionary Ommund C.Oftebro, and
of medical missionary Christian T. Oftebro ought
to call for our sincere consideration of the
cause.
Click here for John and
Deborah’s report from South Africa, 2016.
Click here for photos from
John and Deborah’s tour to South Africa.
Click here
for John and Deborah’s report on the development
of the project.
Click here
for John and Deborah’s renewed call for their
KwaMondi Church Pastoral Funding Appeal.
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Norwegian
actor Jakob Oftebro reads Ibsen's "Terje Vigen"
The Ibsen and Hamsun festival is a yearly cultural
event in Grimstad, Norway. The program is each
year finished by having an artist present the
great Ibsen poem “Terje
Vigen”. In 2015 stage actor Jakob Oftebro had been
given the assignment to do the
presentation.
Click here
to read the report from this part of the cultural
event.
Click here to read
the poem “Terje Vigen”
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Oftebro boys in The
Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany
1947-1953
Between 1947 and 1953 around 50.000 Norwegian
soldiers went with the troop transport vessel
“Svalbard” to Germany to participate in “The
Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany”.
The brigade was transferred to Harz, north of
Hannover, later to
Schleswig-Holstein. (3-2- 1-3- 1) Svein Edland and
3-6- 6-1 Ivar Oftebro were among the many
Norwegian soldiers who served in the brigade
operations.
Click
here for more information about The
Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany,
and these boys' service in the brigade.
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Report from The
Oftebro Family Reunion in Canmore, Alberta,
Canada, July 2014
The Canadian reunion committee has written a wide
report with lots of interesting pictures from the
family reunion.
Click here
to read the report.
Click here to view
the group picture from the reunion.
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Medical missionary
Christian T. Oftebro’s strenuous life and
tragic destiny
Medical missionary Christian T. Oftebro wanted to
change mission practice from exclusively dealing
with evangelization to, in a significant way, also
include training in various forms of practical
work. His thoughts were opposed by his guardians,
the mission management in Stavanger, Norway, and
in 1888 he was brutally dismissed from his
position.
The Norwegian Mission Society has, upon request,
in 2014 examined the dismissal case again, and
expresses now regret for the treatment Christian
Oftebro got. The account of the case and the
apology are published in "Misjonstidende”, Norway,
in September 2014.
Click here
for access to preface by the chairman of the
Oftebro Family Committee about the case, and for
the articles from “Misjonstidende” on the same.
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3-2-3-1 Arne Foss
from the ”Oftebro family” was a versatile
builder of- , and a local giant in the American
society
Based on information given by his son, 3-2-3-1-3 Arnold Foss,
Alabama, USA:
Click here for
access to Arne Foss’ history of life.
Click here for
access to the plaque awarded Arne Foss by king
Haakon 7th for his work on collecting money for
the underground movement in Norway during WWII.
Click here
for access to Arne Foss’ principal speech in
Carnegie Hall on Norway’s Constitution Day, May
17th 1949.
Click here for
access to the obituary on Arne Foss.
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Nils Ole Oftebro
We now present one of our family's great artists -
Nils Ole
Oftebro, one of Norway's most esteemed
actors
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War service of
members of the extended, South African Oftebro
family
Many members of the extended Oftebro family in
South Africa have served in the great wars in the
region and worldwide. In this column we will be
presenting, one by one, the war service history of
members of the extended South African Oftebro
family.
3-7-3-4
Colin
Clayton Hojem
3-7-2 Ernest Frederick Clayton
3-7-2-1
Frank Edward Streek
3-7-2-3 Ian
Barry Clayton
3-7-3
Johan Christian Hojem
3-7-3-2
Graham Clayton Hojem
3-7-3-3
Rodney Clayton Hojem
10-4 Martin
Oftebro
10-4-1
Odmund Christian Oftebro
10-4-1-3
Brian
Piccione
10-4-1-3-2
Kevin Bruce Piccione
Click here
for list of names of South African Oftebro
relatives engaged in war activities, without their
war service history so far been written.
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Oftebro
Family
Reunion - Canada 2014
The final invitation for the upcoming Oftebro
Reunion in Canmore, Alberta, CANADA has arrived.
Ellen Seib and Leone Owchar in the reunion
committe hope to see as many of us as possible on
July 17-20, 2014.
Click here
to read the invitation
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Another addition to
the family literature
3-6-2-4
Torstein
Oftebro has issued a biography on medical
missionary Christian T. Oftebro. The title of
the biography is:
Visjon og Tragedie
Liv og virke til misjonslege Christian T.
Oftebro
1842-1888
(Translated into
English the title would be:
Vision and Tragedy
Life and work of medical missionary
Christian T. Oftebro, 1842-1888)
Click here
for more details about the book.
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A hero is dead **Updated 2013**
From Cape Town came
the message in 2006 that Barry Streek (3-7-2-1-1) had
died, 59 years old. For many years he was
(Norwegian newspaper) Dagbladet's reporter in
South Africa, writing about the development in
the racially segregated state. Through his
burning commitment for the less fortunate he
also became the man who forwarded the economical
support coming from Norway.
But the hero is alive
The memory about Barry Streek is not forgotten.
Today he is especially remembered through the
yearly “Barry Streek Lecture on the Struggle for
Equality”, under the auspices of the Cape Town
Press Club. The lecture is a tribute to Barry’s
hard work for equality and justice in the South
African society. The lecture for the year 2012
was given by the earlier president of South
Africa, Frederik Willem de Clerk. Truly this can
be regarded as a recognition of the necessity of
the upheavals that have taken place in the
society, and of Barry Streek’s contributions in
this connection.
Click here
for access to Willem de Clerk’s Barry Streek
lecture.
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Kevin Hojem (3-7-3-3-1)
Has found and restored the grave of Berte Marie and
Gustav Hojem at West Street
Cemetery in
Durban.
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Oftebro.com
is now on YouTube
Check out our YouTube
channel, where we will be putting out videos
related to the family. So far, we have videos
from the 2010 reunion in California:
The BRO-Band part 1
The BRO-Band part 2
Tobias Oftebro sings
"Håvard Hedde"
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A pulpit as gift for the
KwaMondi church, Eshowe, Zululand
The pulpit in Ommund Oftebro’s church, KwaMondi
church was made in Ørsta, and sent to Zululand as
a gift from Ørsta Missionary Society.
Arne Bjørdalsbakke has sent us a copy of a thank
you letter, dated May 1st 1889, from missionary,
Rev. Ommund Oftebro to “Ørsten” Missionary
Society. (Today Ørsta Missionary Society. Ørsta is
located at the coast of mid. Norway)
Click here for more
information. |
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Report
from Oftebro Family Reunion in Pleasanton,
California, 2010
The reunion committee
has made an extensive report with marvelous
pictures from the family reunion.
Click here to see the
report.
Click here to see the
group picture. |
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An Oftebro serving as
American soldier in WWI
From 1917 until the
end of the war in 1918 3-8-2 Oddleif Oftebro
served for the American forces at the Western
Front.
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The Church-builders in the
Oftebro family
Through several
generations many members of the Oftebro family
have shown great engagement in church
activities. This fact may explain why so many
members of the family also have taken actively
part in the building of their churches.
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Another Oftebro family
reunion
***Updated 10.21 with thank you-notes***
The arranging committee,
with John Oftebro, Seattle, Washington and Dale
Oftebro, Santa Barbara, California in the lead,
wishes the worldwide Oftebro family welcome to the
reunion arrangements. If you would like to come to
the reunion, you should immediately announce your
interest
Click here for
information on extension of registration
deadline
Click here to download info
and sign-up form
10.21 - Another
Oftebro family reunion is over
The North American
Oftebro Reunion (NAOR) committee, with John
Oftebro, Seattle, in the lead, arranged a
brilliantly successful family reunion in
Pleasanton, California in July 2010.
The exquisitely comfortable location for the
arrangement, the thoroughly considered reunion
program and the eminent carrying out of the
same, as well as the warm, personal atmosphere
one managed to create, gave all of us memories
for a lifetime.
The members of the Norwegian family committee,
who all made it to the reunion, thank the NAOR
committee on behalf of ourselves and all the
131 Oftebro participants.
Norway, October 2010
Stein Opsal, Astrid Edland, Tom Pedersen,
Lorentz Vaagland, Inge Chr. Oftebro, Grethe
Oftebro, Torstein Oftebro.
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Promoting the Family Reunion
in California
1-4-1-4-1 Deborah and
John Oftebro visited Norway in May 2009 in order
to promote the Family Reunion in California 2010.
But first they went to Sweden to buy themselves a
new Volvo. |
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New
cultural column ***Update
07.26.11***
A number of Oftebro
relatives are known for their cultural
contributions through poetry, painting, music etc.
This column will present such contributions.
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Morten
Andvig (3-5-4-1-2) at the South Pole
Morten Andvig
(3-5-4-1-2) reached the South Pole 26th December
2008, after skiing 890 km in 24 days, 8 hours and
50 minutes. This is an amazing new record, nine
and half days faster than any other team have used
on the same route. |
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The
Oftebro family reunion in Durban/Eshowe 2007 ***Update
09.09.08***
News and reports from
the reunion. This section will be updated as we
receive more content. Now updated with reunion
group photo.
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Oftebro
SA Reunion 2007 group picture
Click the above link to
view the picture taken outside the hotel in Durban
with everyone present. The picture is available in
a full size version
suitable for framing, as well as a slightly smaller version
with a person description underneath. Please note
that most web browsers will make the picture
smaller to fit your screen, in which case you can
click on it to zoom in. |
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Dr.
Howard Philip West
On May 17, 2007, Rhode
Island College awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws
degree to (3-3-6-2-1) Howard Philip (Phil) West,
Jr., for his leadership in bringing significant
government reform to an American state long known
for corruption. Phil gave his commencement address
to those receiving advanced degrees and their
guests.
Click here for
biographical information provided by Rhode Island
College, and click here for Phil’s
commencement address. |
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The
Langeland-Hansen family
The Oftebro family has traditionally valued very
highly its pioneer missionaries Ommund, Christian
and Berte Marie Oftebro. We have paid far less
attention to the later missionaries from the
Oftebro family. Now we can present the story about
the missionaries Borghild Gudrun and Fridtjof
Langeland-Hansen.
Click here for the story
about their lives and work. |
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Adolf
Oftebro
3-6-8 Adolf Oftebro once made a
living as cowboy on the Argentinian pampas.
In most families, even
those most stalwart, you often find a “splash
of colour” which stands out from the rest of
the family. Adolf was such a “splash
of colour”. While his siblings searched for a
good living and stabile conditions in the old
country, Adolf intended to conquer the
world.
Click here for more
information. |
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Tomas Karl Oftebro
3-6-7 Tomas Karl Oftebro early
became active in the underground resistance that
was established in Norway during World War II.
He was arrested, was given the third degree, and
was finally confined for 3 years in Grini
concentration camp at Oslo.
Click here for more
information |
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George Gotfred Oftebro
1-4-2-1 George Gotfred Oftebro
had a special and tough childhood. 4 years old
he lost both his brother and his mother, and at
the same time he himself lost his hearing. The
rest of his childhood he was taken care of by
strangers.
Click here to read his
life story |
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Oftebro family book
Now at a reduced price
The Oftebro family book was published during the
fall of 2004. Its main part is an extensive family
register for the period of 1775 - 2004, containing
more than 2000 names. Additionally, the book
contains a register of our common ancestors from
the period of 1330 - 1775. There are also about 90
pages of historical pictures and stories from the
emigration to South - Africa and America,
information about the old family homesteads, as
well as pictures and material from the reunion in
Lyngdal in 2004.
So far we have sold about 360 books to family
members all over the world. We recommend the book
to any family member who wishes to know more about
our great family, while we still have more books
on stock. Click here for book
order.
The price reduction is as follows:
For sale in Norway: From NOK 250,- per volume,
down to NOK 200,- per volume.
For sale abroad: From NOK 200,- per volume, down
to NOK 100,- per volume.
The price difference, inland - abroad, is due to
the higher postal rates for sending books abroad.
Picture by
3-8-3-1 Nils Ole Oftebro |
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Reidar
Oftebro
3-6-2-1 Reidar Oftebro
died 27 December 2007. Reidar was 81 years
old.
As a member of the Oftebro Family Committee, one
of Reidar's great passions in life was the history
of the worldwide Oftebro family. |
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Recognition
of the Oftebro family by the Mayor of
uMlalazi
Eshowe, which is the
town that has been established around Ommund
Oftebro's mission station, is located in the
uMlalazi municipality.
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An Oftebro relative in the
American Civil War
Andreas Torkildson,
the older brother of Anne Katrine
(Torkildsdatter Fidje) Oftebro, served as
captain in The American Civil War. Read his
letter from the frontline.
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“Terje Vigen” and the
Oftebro Family
The famous Norwegian
author and play-writer, Henrik Ibsen, has
dramatized the life of a sailor and pilot who
lived and worked at the southern coast of
Norway around first half of the 19th century.
Ibsen names this person Terje Vigen. Read the
poem about Terje Vigen, and about this
person’s relation to the Oftebro family.
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Trip to Durban
Kari Lurås, Inge Chr.
Oftebro and their children Thea, Einar and Jens
(Branch 3-6-2) travelled from Oslo to Durban in
South Africa to celebrate Christmas in December
2005. Click the link above to read about their
trip.
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The
Oftebro family
The Oftebro family
has been defined as all descendants, and their
spouses, from Villum Christian Henriksen Oftebro
(1775 - 1848) and Gunhild Oftebro (1777 - 1855).
The family tree gives more than 2000 persons.
Today's "Oftebros", that counts more than 1200
persons, have settled in many countries and on
most continents.
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Family
reunion
2004
An
Oftebro family reunion was arranged in august
2004. 440 descendants from Villum Christian and
Gunhild Oftebro participated in the event which
took place in Lyngdal, the home of our
ancestors, and lasted for 3 sunny days. 110 of
the participants were foreigners, coming from
all parts of the world. (USA, Canada, South-
Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia, New Zealand, Italy,
England, Germany and Denmark) The reunion
programme included family lectures and cultural
contributions from both Norway and abroad. There
was also an extensive exhibition of pictures and
paintings, furniture and other objects from the
history of our family.
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