Established in 1983 by the sons and daughters-in-law of Archie Tonge, M.D., the Archie Tonge Education Fund is a philanthropic initiative of his descendants.
Archie Tonge was born on December 11, 1895, in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1906, his family moved to the Modesto, California area where, except for 13 years of service in Africa, he resided for the remainder of his life.
After graduating from Lodi Academy, in 1917 he attended Pacific Union College and then served in the U.S. military during World War I. He graduated from the College of Medical Evangelists, now Loma Linda University, with a degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1924.
In 1940, Dr. Tonge returned to Modesto and purchased a small 25-bed hospital owned by the Catholic hospital system. He and Eloise took responsibility for the rebuilding and modernization of what became known as Modesto City Hospital, a 90+ bed acute care facility.
Intensely interested in the values of the SDA education system, he became a member of the Board of Trustees of Modesto Union Academy, where he served as its Chairman for many years.
He passed to his rest on February 21, 1970, at the age of 74 years.
The Archie Tonge Education Fund trustees are proud to carry on his passion for education through the foundation named in his honor.
“To Support Excellence in Seventh-day Adventist Christian Education”
