In loving memory of Elsie May Berg, 1920 - July 11th, 2024. It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Elsie, who departed from us at the age of 104 years old, in Greeley, Colorado surrounded by her family.
Born on May 31, 1920 in Carter, South Dakota, Elsie was the fourth oldest of 10 children born to John and Lydia Burr. She was born to an immigrant father who came to America from Russia. Elsie grew up on a farm in Burke, South Dakota, and lived in a sod house. She often talked about a root cellar on the farm that she hated to go into because it “always had snakes”. Being raised on a farm, before the invention of sliced bread (invented 1928), Elsie learned to be a hard worker. Summers were spend in the fields weeding, and the falls were spent harvesting. Elsie was always found helping the family out. When Elsie wasn’t working in the fields she was working in the kitchen, or taking care of her siblings. Additional duties included ironing clothes, fixing meals, and cleaning the house.
Elsie loved sharing her memories with her family. She often spoke of waking up to the sound of her dad going down to light the pot belly stove on cold winter mornings. These memories were further highlighted by the frost that would be on her comforter in the room that she shared with her four sisters. She also never put ice in her drinks, this remained true until the day that she died. She attributed this habit to always drinking the cold water right out of the well. She was known for her skill in writing papers at school; however, she only went until the 9th grade. At this time she would have had to move into town to finish her schooling, and she could not bring herself to leave her family. Elsie often reminisced about going into town to the fair with her family. Her dad would give her 10 cents to spend, and she felt like she was on top of the world. A whole 10 cents! However, her fondest memories are of dancing. Elsie would go to the dance hall with Frank, an old friend the family had known for years. They would often dance until the hall closed. Everyone that saw the two of them dance together called them Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire because they were so good at dancing together. After a while, Frank moved away to California. When he came back to visit he went out to Elsie’s house and told her “I’m leaving tomorrow to head back to California, and I’ll be here to pick you up to come back with me”. She responded with “over my dead body!” As the next morning came around Elsie was packed up and ready to leave. She had said goodbye to her family, and her mother had given her 100 dollars to take with her. When she was asked why she decided to go with Frank that day she always said “I didn’t love him at the time, but I respected him. I knew he was a good man, and there was nothing for me at home.” When Elsie and Frank got to California he told her to give him two weeks, and if she did not love him by the end he would buy her a train ticket back to South Dakota. The two did end up falling in love, and they built a beautiful family together.
Elsie leaves behind, from that union, two daughters Beverly Gonser and Sharon Ragsdale, and a son Bradley Berg. She also leaves behind Granddaughters Tammy and Terri Herrera, Grandsons Wayne and Frank Ragsdale, and Tyler, Brayden, and Codey Berg, as well as great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Elsie has one surviving sibling: Sally Wilkinson of South Dakota.
A memorial service will be held be at 10 a.m. on Thursday July 18, 2024 at Stoddard Funeral Home in Greeley, Colorado. Her burial will be held the following day on Friday July 19th at 11:00 a.m. Olinger Chapel Hill Cemetery in Centennial, Colorado.
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