The Reverend Bjarne (“Ben”) Kjelshus—parish minister, public servant, and a life-long activist and advocate for civil rights, mental health, environmental and food sustainability—died on 9 November 2018, aged 95.

Mr. Kjelshus remarkably found his deepest calling in retirement, pursuing what was essentially an environmental ministry as a co-founder of the Kansas City Greens in the mid-1980s. He worked toward replacing the industrialization of the world’s food supply with a community food system, with sustainable agriculture and cooperation between local growers and consumers embodied in the Kansas City Food Circle. The Circle grew under Ben’s leadership from its first “Expo” in 1999 to a community of 100 member farmers and by 2015, a regular annual Expo attendance of about 2,000.

Bjarne O. Kjelshus was born on 9 March 1923 in Hanska, Minnesota, to Benjamin and Ovidia Kjelshus. Returning from US Army service (1942–45), he earned a B.A. at the University of Minnesota in 1949 and a B.D. at Meadville Lombard in 1954.

Mr. Kjelshus was ordained on 1 May 1955 by the Universalist Church of Webster City IA while serving there for two years (1954–56). Following that, he was settled at the First Universalist Church in Junction City KS (1957–62) and the UU Church of Kent OH (1962–65). “The main task in life,” he wrote in 1964, “should be to encourage the ways of love and diminish hate.”

At his death, Ben was survived by his wife of 68 years, Carol, children Jon, Karen, and Eric, grandchildren Letty, J.R., Amber, Mikkel, Kristin and Jennifer, and great-grandchildren Lauren, Brian, Emma, Annie, Wyatt, Lachlan, and Sterling.

A celebration of Ben’s life took place on 17 November 2018 at All Souls UU Church in Kansas City MO