Age 93, of Brandon, FL, passed peacefully in the arms of his children on November 23, 2020. He was welcomed home to heaven by his wife, Marilyn Piper Bergman; first wife, Joan Jagodzinski Bergman; parents, Reverend Franklin H. and Minnie Bergman; sister, Mary Murray; and half sister, Helen Krause. Survived by loving children, Lynn (Jim) Berghs; Carl (Nancy) Bergman; Beth (Dawn Bjerkelund) Bergman; Mark (Jodi) Bergman; and many grandchildren.
Herman “Dutch” grew up in Madison, MN, graduating from Madison High School in 1945. He proudly served in the Navy in World War II and graduated from the U of MN in 1950 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1959 he married Joan Jagodzinski of Silver Lake, MN. They built a home in Fridley and raised four children together, divorcing in 1981. In 1983 he married Marilyn Piper; their happy life together cut short by her death from cancer in 1989.
He retired from Unisys after 31 years and moved to Lady Lake, Florida. There he competed fiercely on the tennis court, playing well into his 80’s and qualifying for the Florida Senior Games. He was an avid fisherman, as evidenced by the 28- and 35-lb. Lake Trout from the Arctic Circle still hanging on his wall. He loved a good steak, chocolate, dancing, and entertaining his family with his ukulele. He taught his children to fish, camp, play tennis, ski, ice skate, and sing the old hymns; he imbued them with his dry humor and strong work ethic. Tough on the outside from his strict upbringing, he had a soft spot for his family, always there to help with key life milestones. He enjoyed taking his children on spring-break ski trips and numerous family reunions, where he cherished seeing his clan all together.
He never complained; even at the end he was “just fine”. We love you and miss you, Dad; you live on in us all. Private family service in Brandon, FL.
Celebration of Life will be Saturday, August 7 at 11am with a visitation 10-11 at North Heights Lutheran Church, 1700 West Highway 96, Arden Hills, Minnesota.
Memorials suggested to the Wounded Warrior Project.
“Life’s been good to me. Maybe I can pass something on to somebody else."
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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