Roger Koskinen

Roger Koskinen, age 74, of Maplewood, MN passed away peacefully at St. John's Hospital on February 24, 2025.

Memorial Service will be at 2:00 PM on Friday, March 14, 2025 at GracePoint Church, 2351 Rice Creek Rd.; New Brighton, MN with visitation from 1-2 PM prior to the service. All are invited to luncheon following the service.

Roger Koskinen of Maplewood, Minnesota, passed away on February 24, 2025 at the age of 74 at St John's Hospital in Maplewood. Roger was born in Moose Lake, Minnesota on August 16, 1950 to Walfred and Vivian Stonelake Koskinen.

Roger graduated from Centennial High School, Circle Pines and received a BA from St Cloud University. He completed some post graduate work at Wheaton College and Bethel Seminary. 

Roger ministered to at-risk teenagers starting in 1973. He worked with Twin Cities Youth for Christ, Midwest Challenge and Arise Ministries in juvenile jails in Ramsey, Hennepin, Anoka and Goodhue counties. He weekly provided Bible studies and worship services. For over ten years, Arise would buy gifts of personal hygiene products, candy, inspirational books, bookmarks and Bibles for the teenagers locked up over the Christmas season. One institution received a pizza party on Christmas Eve with candy and pop. This was the "Gift of Hope" project. In 2024 Roger distributed 140 Christmas gift bags to the teens.

He served as a St Paul Police Chaplain since 1990. Volunteering two or three times a month providing comfort and support to people who had lost a loved one to death.

He was an active member at Living Faith Church (Galilee Baptist) for 50 years, where he was pastor to youth and evangelism 1984-1986. He served twice as church Chairperson and on the Deacon board. Both Roger and Carol enjoyed working together with children in Sunday School and Awana.

Roger and Carol were united in marriage on March 11, 1995. They traveled to interesting places such as Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Boston, Maine, California, Florida, North Carolina, Montana, and Duluth Minnesota. International missions trips to Tijuana, Mexico and Port Au Prince, Haiti. Roger traveled to Barbados while ministering with Youth for Christ in the 1980's.  

Roger is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Lillian and his niece, Sara.

Roger is survived by his wife of 30 years Carol Anderson Koskinen, siblings Wally (Helga) Koskinen, Cynthia Aldrich, Gail Koskinen, Calvin Koskinen, foster son Levi (Tania), granddaughters Levaeh, Allie, Annalese, sister in law Ruth (Phillip) Pearson, brother in laws Abbas Faridi and Jim Anderson, many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and many friends.

Roger had a deep faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was his passion to tell people about Jesus. Reading, meditating on the Bible everyday and praying together with Carol was essential. It was important to live out his faith in word and deed. Roger's life verse was Colossians 1:10 "To lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of the Lord." 

He enjoyed sports - basketball, football, baseball, hockey and golf. He played so much basketball in high school and college that both of his hips needed replacement 5 years ago. He was an avid history buff. Especially Civil War and WW I and II. Roger was good at Cribbage and taught his granddaughters. He loved being at the family farm near Cromwell where he grew up. Deer hunting season at the farm and being around outside were always enjoyable for him. 

Roger hosted and coordinated two fund raisers every year for Arise Ministry. A Golf Classic after Labor Day and a Christmas Tree lot before Christmas.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Arise Ministries PO Box 9130 St Paul 55109. 

LIVESTREAM INFORMATION: For those who would like to participate in the service via livestream, you can watch the service by scrolling to the bottom of this page and click “PLAY" to begin. Please leave a message of support on our Tribute Wall to let the family know you were able to watch the service. If you are having trouble with the Livestream, the service will be available to watch later in the day.