BERGE, Shirley M. 1928-2005

BERGE

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 4/27/2005 at 20:21:17

Shirley Maxine (Froning) Berge, 77, rural Kensett, passed away on Tuesday, April 19, 2005, at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. Memorial service was held on Friday, April 22, 2005, at the Bethany Lutheran Church, 600 5th Street, Kensett, with Reverend Allan J. Stoa officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Kensett Cemetery. Visitation was held on Thursday at the Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. South, Northwood, and one hour prior to service time on Friday at the church. The family of Shirley Maxine (Froning) Berge has requested that memorial contributions be made to Hospice of North Iowa in her memory.

Shirley was born in her grandmother Mohs home in Postville, Iowa, on January 22, 1928, the daughter of Leonard and Florence (Mohs) Froning. She was the eldest of six children born to this marriage. She attended schools in Tripoli, Oelwein, and Readlyn. Shirley graduated from La James School of cosmetology in 1947, and N.I.A.C.C. with her LPN in 1976. Her marriage to Glenn Harold Berge on January 8, 1948, began what Shirley described as the greatest challenge of her life: for a city girl to learn how to farm. Not only did she become a true partner farming with Glenn, but also they raised three children together, and both returned to college in the 50's.

Shirley was known for her loving care of the residents at the Manly Care Center and the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood until her retirement. Shirley most enjoyed gardening, yard work, crocheting, cooking and baking for her family and friends. She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Kensett.

Her parents and her loving husband of 55 years, Glenn, in 2003, preceded her in death. Left to cherish her memory are her children, Sandra and Scott Douglass of Gilbert, Minnesota, Mike and Barb Berge of rural Kensett, and Larry and Jeannette Berge of rural Northwood; her nine beloved grandchildren, Tammy Hynes, Julie Salas and her husband Abel, Michelle Fehring, Rebecca Berge, Tim Berge, Scott Douglass IV, Brandy Bingman and her husband Ryan, Sarah Couch and her husband Chris, and Adam Berge, 6 great-grandchildren, Levi Fehring, Tommy Douglass V, Sophie Salas, Hannah Couch, Madelyn Berge and Samuel Bingman, three brothers, Leo Froning and his wife Mae of Mesa, Arizona, Lyle Froning of Murphy, North Carolina, and Robert Froning and his wife Julie of Belleview, Washington, two sisters, Marilyn Rundle of Fairbank, Iowa, and Bonnie Albers of Waterloo, Iowa; sisters-in-law; Margaret Berge and Mavis Rustad of Northwood, nieces and nephews, and numerous good friends.

Source: Northwood Anchor Online, 4/27/2005