Rev. Ogden is a Hoosier by birth, being born in Danville, Indiana. He is the son of a Methodist minister, the late Dr. Horace C. Ogden, minister of the Trinity Methodist Episcopal church in Albany at the time of his decease. Mr. Ogden graduated from East high school in Rochester, N. Y., in 1917. His studies at DePauw University were interrupted by the war. He was commissioned second lieutenant of the United States Army in 1918 and was sent to the University of Chicago where he commanded Company “H" of the S. A. T. C. unit of the university. In 1922 Rev. Ogden received his A. B. degree from DePauw University which Is located at Greencastle, Indiana. While at DePauw he was twice captain of the football team and in his senior year was president of the student body. 

    The year after his graduation, Rev. Ogden taught in East high school, Rochester, where. he was also the director of freshman ath­letics. The following year he continued his preparation for the ministry at Boston University school of Theology from which schoo1 he received the S.T.B. degree in 1926. While a student in Boston, Mr. Ogden was director …??? 

     At the completion of his studies he was called to the Trinity Meth­odist Episcopal church in Albany, as associate pastor under Dr. Howard G. Hageman. His duties involved the beginning of the work of the Horace G. Ogden Memorial Community House, then just completed.

    In 1926 Mr. Ogden was united in marriage to Selma Lindenmeyer of Portsmouth, 0., daughter of the late Rev. Samuel Lindenmeyer of that city. Mrs. Ogden is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University with the degree of A. B. and at the time of her marriage was an instructor in the depart­ment of philosophy at that university. Mr. and Mrs. Ogden have two children, Robert Foster, aged 5 and Mary Louise, aged 4.

 [1933]

TARRENCE FOSTER OGDEN

 When God called Tarrence Foster Ogden to His eternal reward last June, those of us who were closely associated with him felt that there was left “a lonesome place against the sky.” 

“Ted,” as he was affectionately called, will be missed. He was a gracious, modest, Christian gentleman; a man whose word was his bond; for 37 years he was a good minister of Jesus Christ. He will be missed in the Boards, Commissions and Committees of the Conference where his counsel was eagerly sought and freely given. 

“Ted” was interested in everything pertaining to the well-being of Troy Conference; but he was especially interested in education. He served on the Faculty of Green Mountain Institute for many years; he was President of the Conference Board of Education; he served as Registrar of the Board of Ministerial Training for 10 years, and at the time of his death was a Trustee of Green Mountain College. It has been proposed that a Chapel be erected at Skye Farm in his memory; nothing would honor his memory more than to do something that would contribute to the spiritual growth of the young people of Troy Conference. 

An editorial in the Albany Times-Union on June 28, 1962, paid a beautiful tribute to “Ted”. The following is a brief quotation: “Dr. Ogden’s voice is silent and his winsome smile will not be seen among us - but his work is not done. Something radiant and good that came forth from his life will linger for a long time in many ‘hearts and lives’ where he made his place.” 

T.F. Ogden was born in Attica, Indiana, on March 17,  1899, and died in Albany, New York, on June 26, 1962. He

had the rare privilege of beginning and ending his ministry in Trinity Church, Albany. He was the son of the

Reverend and Mrs. Horace G. Ogden who also served Trinity Church.

He was graduated from DePauw University in 1922 with a B. A. degree, and from Boston University School of Theology in 1926 with the degree of S. T. B. In 19L₁0 his Alma Mater honored him with the D~ D. degree. Shortly after receiving his theological degree from B.U.S.T. he was married to Selma Lindenmeyer, a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University. To them were born a son, Robert, and a daughter, Mary (Mrs. David K. Richards) and seven grandchildren: Jeffrey, Beth, Polly Richards and Kathy, Scott, Richard, Jenifer Ogden all of whom survive. 

This is the record of his appointments: Associate, Trinity, Albany; Valatie and Stuyvesant; Lake Placid; Delmar; Trinity, Schenectady; Superintendent, Troy District; Associate, Trinity, Albany. In 1960 he attended the General Conference at Denver as one of the four delegates from Troy Conference; and in June of that year was a delegate to the North­eastern Jurisdictional Conference, Washington, D. C. 

“Ted” first learned of a heart disorder just after Easter, 1962. His physicians expected that with a rest of a few weeks, he would be able to do a limited amount of work, and in due time share fully in the multiple ministry of Trinity Church. This was not to be, for he passed quietly away within minutes of being admitted to Albany Medical Centre. 

The memorial service was held in Trinity Church, Albany, on June 29, with the Reverend Vi. Bernard Grossman, Minister, Trinity Church; District Superintendent, Robert B. Thomas; and the writer of this memoir participating.

Robert Louis Stevenson must have had some such person as “Ted” Ogden in mind when he wrote:

“That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy,  a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it; who looked for the  best in others and gave the best he had. His memory is a benediction.” 

S. Wilson Francis

Mrs. Ogden--Gracious Lady of the Parsonage  

by CYNTHIA DREHER BAKER

When Mrs. Tarrence F. Ogden. wife of the pastor of Trinity Methodist church is attending her fourth or fifth committee meeting in one week or preparing to receive 150 guests at an open house or perhaps involved in heading a program for 500 people, one of her friends is certain to say jokingly, ‘You, of all people, should have known better than to marry a minister.” They are, of course, joking for it is obvious to all who know her that she is extremely happy in her life.

Because of her great fondness for people, meetings, receptions and programs are a complete pleasure to her. Her home is like the proverbial bee hive with friends constantly in and out and when I asked her what she liked most to do when she had a free evening. she promptly replied, “Why. I immediately think of calling someone and having them drop in."

The reason that she should have known better is that she is no novice to a parsonage. The daughter of a minister and the granddaughter of a missionary to Africa, she has literally stepped into her mothers parsonage shoes except that shoe styles have changed in this generation.

Mrs. Ogden's mother attended one Ladies’ Aid meeting a month. Sundays she played the organ in the church. Otherwise her life was centered in the. parsonage itself, and she was able to keep a strict schedule of days for washing, ironing, sewing, cleaning and baking.

Mrs. Ogden’s homemaking schedule yields to the expanding program of the church. Just as women’s status has changed with increased responsibility in community and church, so has the life of a minister’s wife changed. Mrs. Ogden has a number of committee meetings each week, entertains a great deal, is completely wrapped up in the expanding program building of the church and immensely enjoys organizing and leading anything from a simple worship service to the Trinity Christmas Festival which utilizes the total congregation. She has also made events like the Ogden’s New Year’s day open house a tradition in the parish and is an enthusiastic member of the choir for she finds singing a favorite pastime.

Actively interested In various civic groups, Mrs. Ogden is a board member of the Young Women’s Christian Association and recently headed a committee o program study for the ??? of the Schenectady County Council of Church Women, she particularly enjoyed heading the Spiritual Life committee which plans the annual World Day of Prayer. Last month Mrs. Ogden was elected vice-president of the Troy Conference of the Wom­an’s Society of Christian Service. She also wholeheartedly enjoys the Ministers’ Wives fellowship.

People who know the Ogdens do not think of them as Dr. Ogden and Mrs. Ogden. They are, I believe without exception. thought of as “The Ogdens.” This is undoubtedly because they work almost entirely together. However, there is one phase of church work in which they do not dually participate. Mrs. Ogden is particularly fond of speaking to various church groups at mother and daughter banquets and on similar occasions. But, when it comes to sermons, her public speaking is curtailed by Dr. Ogden who teases her by saying, “I wouldn’t want you to take my job away from me."

Several summers ago when Dr. Ogden decided to take a ministerial course in Boston, Mrs. Ogden made up her mind to do something completely different from what she had ever done as a minister's wife, as a high school English teacher or as an assistant in the philosophy department at Ohio Wesleyan university. The two young Ogdens, Bob and Mary. had grown up. They were going to Lake Placid to take summer jobs. So Mrs. Ogden went to Lake Placid and took a job, too. She en­joyed herself so much that she went to the same hotel for three summers doing everything from being a hostess in the dining room, cleaning shrimp and fixing salads in the kitchen, to organizing parties for the staff.

A famous man once said that laughter is sunshine in a house. I think that his statement explains to a great extent, the smiling brightness of the Ogden’s Plymouth Avenue home and the “sunshine” is due in no small part to the vivacious mistress of the parsonage for she is seldom seen without her cheery smile.

Her great hope is to make the parsonage home not only a place of hospitality and friendliness but also an expression of Christian living. The parishioners agree that the parsonage is just that already and that it is due in no small part to the gracious lady who greets them at the door.