Grimsvedt Family Endowed Scholarship

Among the friends of California Lutheran University who have impacted the life and vitality of
the institution are Rev. Clyde and Clarice Grimstvedt. Clyde was a member of the original Convocation
of the College joining 25 others, all burning with hope and conviction that a new Lutheran college be
founded and established in the West. He served on the Board of Regents in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
After Clyde’s retirement from Hope Lutheran Church in San Mateo, the Grimstvedts moved to Thousand
Oaks where Clyde worked from 1979 to 1981 serving as a Capital Gifts Officer with the CLU
Development Office raising financial support. Clarice worked in the CLC Administrative Office. Clyde
and Clarice left a lasting impact on the life of California Lutheran University and the students we serve.
From childhood, in Portland, Oregon, Clyde and Clarice grew in their appreciation of each other. After
attending Pacific Lutheran College (Tacoma, WA), Clarice enrolled in the Lutheran Bible Institute
(Minneapolis, MN) where she reconnected with Clyde, then a student at Luther Seminary (St. Paul, MN)
and they were married 10 months later.
Family was important to the Grimstvedts. Together, they raised two daughters and two sons. Carol
Grimstvedt Cockrell graduated from California Lutheran College in 1966 where she met her future
husband, Rev. Gary Cockrell ‘66 . Their daughter, Mary Hiemenga, graduated in 1975 from CLC. One
son, Mark Grimstvedt, attended CLC and graduated from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. Son, Rolf
Grimstvedt, attended Texas Lutheran University, Sequin, Texas.
In the words of their daughter, Carol, "We are happy to be able to honor our parents by establishing the
Grimstvedt Family Endowed Scholarship. It is our hope that young college students will be encouraged
to attend California Lutheran and experience the benefits of a Christian community. The vison of the
founders was to embrace the values of “love of Christ, truth and freedom.”
Clyde and Clarice enthusiastically shared their love, faith and service with countless individuals
throughout their lives. California Lutheran University is very grateful that their vision for the future was
evidenced by their inclusion of CLU in their professional lives, in the education they gave to their
children and in their efforts to gather support for CLU in the communities in which they lived.
Clyde and Clarice deeply cherished stewardship and they generously supported Cal Lutheran from 1961
until Clarice’s death in 2014. In loving memory of their gracious lives, partnership in congregational
ministry, and service to Lutheran higher education, the family wishes to establish the Grimstvedt Family
Endowed Scholarship. This scholarship is open to all Lutheran students at any level of study.