In Memoriam 1992-1997/Else Jensen Fynbo

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IN MEMORIAM 1992—1997 301

ELSE JENSEN FYNBo 1916—1996

few years ago Else asked me if I would

make the memorial speech at her funeral. She became very ill after her journey to Australia in 1984, and she remained in Denmark for her last twelve years. From time to time family and friends would take her out for a ride away from her isolated daily City life in Copenhagen. In her later years she was able to move about in an electric wheelchair and go to Kings Park (Kongens Nytorv) near her home. She enjoyed so much seeing the Changes of nature, and her eyes delighted in the growth and transformation of the flowers. We know that Else was in King’s Park just a few days before she passed on. She was there to talk about what was most precious to her, the Faith. This is the life she would have wished mentioned on this occasion.

The apartment she shared with her husband, Peter, was the site for countless firesides she held, a habit she maintained throughout her Bahá’í life. She had great insight in taking care of herself and her physical suffering. Always happy to receive visitors and guests, she had to struggle her way to the door, but never complaining, she acquiesced to her circumstances. She thought little of her physical limitations and lived for her Faith.

Else was born in Kalundborg on June 1, 1916. She loved her father clearly, a wellfounded businessman. Later she was a dance teacher and beauty specialist, and for many years she worked as a secretary to a doctor specializing in allergies.

The American pioneer from California, Dagmar Dole, was in Denmark from 1947 to 1933. Else met her and became a Bahá’í in 1948, and her spiritual life changed. It also changed the night she was on board the M/S Kobenhavn when it struck a World

War II mine in the Bay of Alborg. As she described it she had to choose between heaven and the sea. The spiritual path led her into the shock of the deep, dark, and cold sea that night.

Her much—loved Peter also saw how their home had changed to a teaching center. He lived with all the visitors that Else brought to their home. She served them with reverence, with spiritual thought, and an abundance of love. There was a warm, welcoming spirit in their home that everyone could sense.

In 1953 there were thirty—eight Bahá’ís from Stockholm and elsewhere in Sweden for a gathering for chocolate, tea, coffee, and cakes, meeting in their thirty—six square meter apartment. Peter stood up and asked, “What can I do to serve you?”

We can probably all imagine Peter’s lovely smiling face—serving Else’s friends with joy and kindliness and bringing cheerfulness to every heart. Never did Peter prevent Else from bringing strangers home, no matter their nationality or color. On

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the contrary, one day on their walk, Peter teasingly challenged Else by saying that she wouldn’t dare approach two black men, well—dressed in African style, who were nearby. In those days blacks were seldom seen in Denmark.

Else accepted the challenge, and the men came home with them for coffee, and a sharing of the Word, no doubt. Peter was always open, hospitable, understanding, and cooperative, and on his deathbed he declared his Faith in Baha’u’llzih. Else never gave birth to a Child, but she had many spiritual children.

Else served the Scandinavian Teaching Committee that was the precursor of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of Scandinavia and Finland?“ In 1956 and 1957 she was its secretary. She helped the pioneers in every way she could, even providing bikes to some. At that time there were thirty believers in greater Copenhagen. In 1950 at a European Teaching Conference she met Edna True, chairman of the European Teaching Committee, and the Hand of the Cause of God Ugo Giachery. She had close contact with another Hand of the Cause, Adelbert Mühlschlegel, when he was assisting the work of the Regional Assembly in 1960.

Else participated in the Intercontinental Teaching Conference in Stockholm in 1953, the third of four conferences initiating the Ten Year Crusade. She attended the Intercontinental Conference held in Frankfurt in 1958, and in 1963 she went to London to attend the first World Congress. Five years later she traveled to the Holy Land as a delegate from the National Spiritual Assembly of Denmark attending the International Convention for the election of the Universal House of Justice.

18‘ The National Assembly of Sweden was established in 1962.

THE BAHA’I’ WORLD

She went on her first pilgrimage after the Ten Year Crusade, during which time she was a guest ofAmatu’l—Baha Réhiyyih Khánum. Her second pilgrimage was made in September of1977. She visited Haifa and Akká and then went on to Tihran, flitaz, and I§fahan followed by Istanbul and Adtianople (Edirne) in Turkey. She visited the Houses of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh—a symbolic journey. Her third pilgrimage was in 1986 when she was accompanied by Bente Gustafson.

Else Fynbo was ever hospitable, a constant and faithful handmaiden. N0 compromise did she make in het wholehearted service and the bringing of the teachings of the Faith to her fellow men. Those of us who knew Else realize that she is now where she had been longing to be and patiently waiting to approach. Those of us who were acquainted with Else’s inner thoughts will also know what a spiritually motivating power and determined, devoted dear sister we have lost. After a long illness Else passed away on May 5, 1996. On May 17 the Universal House ofjustice cabled:

NEWS FINAL RELEASE DEAR ELSE FYNBO FROM LONG YEARS PAINFUL ILLNESS CALL TO MIND HER DECADES ARDENT STEADFAST SERVICES CAUSE GOD, HER WHOLEHEARTED DEVOTION TO BAHA’U’LLAH, HER UNQUENCHABLE CONFIDENCE TRIUMPH HIS FAITH. PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HER SOUL ALL WORLDS GOD. CONVEY LOVING SYMPATHY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

From a tribute 17y Mic/mé‘l Gjem