DOROTHY LOUISE PETERSON TONSING

An Autobiographical Sketch
October 22, 1982

[The following sketch was written by Dorothy Louise Peterson Tonsing for a Class Book
for Homecoming Weekend, Kansas Wesleyan College, 100 East Claflin, Salina, Kansas
67401. The reunion of “The Golden W Class” celebrated the Class of 1932, and
contained photographs and biographies of each members of the class alive at that date.
However, as noted at the bottom of the page containing her picture and story, Dorothy
Tonsing passed away May 15, 1983, before the book was published. –Ernst F. (Fred)
Tonsing, Thousand Oaks, California]

DOROTHY PETERSON TONSING

While attending Kansas Wesleyan, I met my future husband Ernest F. Tonsing.

He was ordained a Lutheran pastor in 1935, in the United Lutheran Church in America.1

We have two sons: Fred an ordained minister and professor and head of the
department of religion at California Lutheran College.2 Evan is a cellist and professor of
music at Oklahoma State University.3

Upon graduation, I taught high school English and Latin at Falun High School.4

All of my life I have been closely associated with the Lutheran church and with
ecumenical work. In 1959, I received the Ecumenical Award of the Kansas Council of
Churches. I was named Woman of the year in Religion in Topeka, Ks., and have
received the Valiant Women award of the Nation[al] Church women United.

Outside of my church work I am active in the Topeka Woman’s Club, YWCA

Board of directors and helped to set up and organize the volunteer program at the Topeka
State Hospital where I have served as a “share worker.”5

I have written articles for Lutheran publications. I am a member of Sigma Tau

Delta, professional writing fraternity, I have the honor of being listed in “Who’s Who in
American Women,” and in “Community Leaders in America.”

1
The Rev. Ernest Frederick Tonsing was Pastor of First Lutheran Church, Topeka, Kansas, before retiring
shortly before this was written.
2
Ernst Frederick Tonsing, Ph.D., teaches New Testament and Greek at California Lutheran College (now a
university) at Thousand Oaks, California.
3
Professor Evan Alva Tonsing teaches cello and music theory at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater,
Oklahoma.
4
Falun, Kansas, near Smolan, Kansas, is west of Lindsborg,
5
The acronym, “SHARE,” referred to the program she started with the wife of the Director of the Topeka
State Mental Hospital, Mrs. John Paul Bay.