GORDON (Arne) BERG

Gordon Berg, 85 passed away Sat. May 25, 2013 at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home surrounded by his loving family. Funeral Services for Gordon will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Devils Lake with Rev. Jeff Nicla officiating. Burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Wednesday, May 29thfrom 2:00 until 7:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service and Time of Remembrance at 5:30 p.m. Visitation on Thursday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Casket Bearers for Gordon will be his grandsons, Chet Berg, Paul Berg, Wes Berg, Lee Berg, Travis Berg, Adam Windjue and Andy Berg. Honorary Bearers are the dedicated and caring staff of the Good Samaritan Center of Devils Lake. Music will be provided by Donovan Foughty, vocalist and Lynda Pearson, organist. (Arne) Gordon Berg was born May 29, 1927 on his family farm in rural Starkweather, ND. He was the fourth of nine children born to Peder and Kristina (Christina Fluge) Berg. Gordon was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Starkweather ND. He attended Country School in Sullivan Township and Starkweather High School. He met Beth Elaine Wyman from Peerless, Montana while she was in Devils Lake attending nursing training at Mercy Hospital. They fell in love and married Sept. 30, 1947 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Devils Lake. Gordon and Beth began farming on the family farm and moved to Harding Township where they made their home near Webster ND from 1952-1976. During the winter months they would move to Devils Lake where their 5 children would attend school. Gordon retired from farming in 1976 when their sons began farming. Gordon and Beth moved to the Frison Addition, where they made their home for many happy years. Gordon and Beth loved to entertain family and friends at their home and at their lake lot. Gordon became passionate about water development during his farming years. This passion would lead to his involvement on more than a dozen water related boards and ultimately to serving seven terms as District 15 State Representative. Gordon developed a lifetime interest in photography at an early age. This later turned into a hobby of scrapbooking and photo booking. He also enjoyed traveling in their Winnebago Motor Home. Gordon and Beth would winter and live the “Good Life” in Mesa, Arizona until health reasons caused them to remain in Devils Lake. Gordon has been a resident of the Good Samaritan Nursing Home since Jan. 2011. Gordon was a man of Faith and Family Foundation. He had a deep appreciation for his many Uncles growing up. Gordon also had a sincere love for children and will be remembered by many as the “man with the candy”. Gordon’s pride and joy were his 16 grandchildren, and you would find him at each and every activity they were involved in. Gordon was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Lifetime member of Devils Lake Elks Lodge 1216, Lifetime member of the Sons of Norway, The Eagles Lodge, and The Crofton Lodge #3. Gordon will be remembered for his red Cadillac with number 15 license plates, his 33 foot Cabin boat on Devils Lake called “Viking” and most of all, as the water authority whose vast knowledge will forever be missed. Gordon is survived by his devoted and loving wife Beth of 65 years; five children and their spouses, Arne and Kris Berg of Starkweather, ND, Cindy Berg of East Grand Forks, MN ,Dean and Carol Berg of Moore, MT, Karn and Les Windjue of Devils Lake and Dale Berg of Crary, ND ; sixteen grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren, Shauna (Mark) Schneider and children, McKenzie, Brooke and Cole Darling, Travis Berg; Heidi Sather and children, Elijah and Jonah Williams, Tara (Paul) Audette and son, Luke Audette; Chet (Niki) Berg and children, Mico, Ziah and Ben Moore and Carter Berg, Paul Berg and children, Boden and Aviana Berg, Wes (Jill) Berg, Katie (Matt) Cavanaugh, Anna Berg and son, Cruz Berg, Lee Berg, Rachel Berg; Bethany (Chris) Dumont and children, Katelyn, Connor and Bennett Dumont, Sharlene (Matt) Olson and daughter, Adley Olson, Adam Windjue; Erin (Jim) Gibbens, Andy Berg; brothers, Alton (Edell) Berg of Peoria IL, John (Pam Bratsch) Berg of Minneapolis, MN, Richard Berg of Ordway, CO; sisters, Helen Mackey of Minot, ND and Bernice (Bob) Ness of Devils Lake ND; brother-in-law, Chauncey (Lillian) Wyman of Opheim, MT; several cousins, nieces and nephews. Gordon was preceded in death by his parents Peder and Kristina Berg; sister, Margaret Anderson; brothers, Selmer (DoNelda) Berg and Donald (Leapha) Berg; brother-in-law, LeRoy “Buster” Mackey; sister-in-law, Marilyn Berg.