Martin Nelson Berge 1885-1961

BERGE, SCHWARC, DAHLKE, ROSWICK

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 1/19/2014 at 20:34:56

Well-Known Resident of City Dies at 76
Martin Nelsen Berge, carpenter and contractor in Estherville since 1911, died yesterday morning at his home at the age of 76. He had been in failing health for several months.

Fifty years ago, in 1911, Mr. Berge accepted the invitation of Martin Knutsen to join him in the carpentry business. After Knutsen’s death in 1921, Berge continued to build in the Estherville area until he became ill after the first of this year.

He was a member of the Estherville Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Brotherhood, and Nordmanns Forbundet, a national organization of former citizens of Norway. For six years he was a trustee of the church and he held a position on the Lutheran Cemetery Commission at the time of his death.

Active in the Republican party, Mr. Berge served for many years on the GOP county central committee. Over a period of years he was chosen delegate to many political conventions.

He served regularly as an election judge in Estherville’s First Ward and was chairman of the ward’s election board for many years.

As a sort of hobby he acted as ticket agent for steamship lines with routes to nearly every country in the world.

Twice Mr. Berge was called to Minneapolis to have dinner with Norwegian royalty. In 1939 he attended a state dinner honoring King Olaf of Norway and in 1957 he went there for a dinner with Princess Astrid.

Born in Valevaag, Norway, Sept. 4, 1885, he received some schooling there before coming to the United States in 1904. Here he attended high school for two years, then did tiling work in the Dolliver area until becoming a carpenter in 1911.

He was married June 1, 1918 to Frieda Schwarc at Estherville. Their daughter, Mrs. Arthur (Marie) Dahlke, resides at Armstrong.

Mrs. Berge, Mrs. Dahlke, three grandchildren, Nancy, Barbara and Connie, a brother, John Berge of Dolliver, and a sister, Mrs. Julius Roswick of Bismark, N.D., survive in this country. Two sisters and other relatives remain in Norway.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters.

The Rev. Roy Hendrickson and the Rev. L.A. Mathre will conduct funeral services at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Estherville Lutheran church. A family service is set for 1:30. Burial will be in the Lutheran Cemetery north of Estherville.

Friends may call at the Sandin-Fuhrman Funeral Home from this evening until noon Wednesday when the body will be taken to lie in state at the church. The casket will not be opened after the services.

Active pallbearers will be Dr. Hugo Lindholm, Nils Madebakken, Henry Valen, Gust Valen, Waldemar Fransdal, all of Estherville, and William Knutson of Superior.

Carl J. Carlson, Wmlet Twito, Bert Boe, Joe Tusler, Dr. George G. Griffit, John Twedt, Lewis Valen and Victor Ingvall will serve as honorary pallbearers. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, July 31, 1961)