Lou & Anna Mae Oelkers Biography

Distributed to all recipients of the Bennett H “Lou” and Anna Mae Oelkers Endowed Scholarship Fund, at Brigham Young University – Hawaii.

While they never touched a handcart, Lou and Anna Mae Oelkers were truly Latter-day Saint Pioneers. Lou and Anna Mae were raised on farms near Dalbo, Minnesota. LDS missionaries taught Lou’s parents, and along with a few other families; they formed the nucleus of a small branch. At the onset of World War II, the missionaries left rural Minnesota, and the branch floundered. However, when Lou married Anna Mae, he told her he wanted their children to be raised in the church.

After Lou returned from serving in Korea, he and Anna Mae moved to Minneapolis. They became involved in the local branch, and within one year Lou was serving in the branch presidency, later the bishopric, and then the high council. He was called to serve as bishop in a ward where he didn’t reside, followed by a call to the stake presidency. Anna Mae also served in many callings in the various auxiliaries of the church. She supported Lou in his callings, holding down the home front while Lou labored to establish the stake in Minneapolis. Together they parented a second generation of Oelkers’ in the church.

Lou is remembered by many for his diligence in using athletics as a fellowshipping tool. Many who would have lost contact with the Church were fellowshipped into activity. His love for the youth of the church was very strong, and his influence was broad. He was a painter, the kind of craftsman that you don’t find today. He was instrumental in the building of the Minneapolis Stake Center and the Anoka Chapel.

Anna Mae remained the matriarch of the Oelkers family, standing strong in her faith after Lou’s early death. She set an example for her children and grandchildren by serving a full-time mission. Anna Mae worked in the St. Paul temple and was active in researching her Swedish ancestors. Many know Anna Mae for her cooking skills; endless missionaries, youth of the church, and, of course, her family have enjoyed her meals. Of all the women in the church in Minnesota, she was asked to prepare meals for the General Authorities at the St. Paul Temple dedication.

The recipients of the Bennett H. “Lou” and Anna Mae Oelkers Endowment will likely also be pioneers, forging a path for those to follow. The endowment was established with the hope that recipients would leverage their education to “pioneer” the way for others to follow.

Bennett H. “Lou” Oelkers, 1929-1985

Anna Mae Oelkers, 1933-2024