Virginia "Virgie" Ruth Berg

Virginia R. “Virgie” Berg, 82, of La Junta passed away Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011, at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado.  She was born Aug. 30, 1929, in Frazee, Minnesota to F. Oscar & Ruth (Ror) Anderson.

She is survived by her husband, Bob, children, Steve and wife, Mary, Janet, Darilyn, Rob and wife, Sue, grandchildren, Julie, Emily Lathrop and husband, P.T., Daniel, Patrick and wife, Lauren, and Rachel, great grandson, Collin Allen, sisters-in-law, Gladys Anderson and Marilyn Williams and husband, Leo, and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by father, F. Oscar Anderson, mother, Ruth Ror Anderson, sisters, Ruby Hinze, Bernice Anderson, brothers, Leslie, Kenneth and Glen Anderson and nephew, Gyle Anderson.

Virgie graduated from Frazee High School in northern Minnesota in 1947.  She played a clarinet in the school band.  Her brother, Kenny, was the director.  She had a leading role in the class play and sang with a group called The Triple Trio.
After graduation, she managed a clothing store in Vergas, Minnesota which belonged to her brother-in-law, Lee Anderson.
Then the lure of the Big City brought her to Minneapolis where she secured a job at Dayton’s Department Store in the blouse department. 

Through her cousin, Helen Jean Atkinson, she was introduced to Bob Berg.  That happened on September 23, 1948.  The two were married on that same date, a year later, in 1949.  Between 1950 and 1957 they saw the births of Steven, Janet, Darilyn, and Rob.  In 1951 they bought a year old house in Bloomington, MN. Bob Berg became president of DeBourgh Mfg. Co. upon the death of his father in 1955.  Virgie was kept busy raising her four children.  She held classes on making Christmas ornaments.  She served as a volunteer with the Lincoln High School lunch program for 10 years.  In 1957, Virgie and Bob built a new home on Upton Avenue, Bloomington, MN.

The Berg family took many vacations throughout the United States.  Virgie and Bob took tours to the birthplaces of their mothers in Norway and Sweden.  They also went to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, and the Caribbean and took a memorable tour of Europe. During her life she was active in Brownies and Bluebirds for her two daughters and the Green Blue-Liners Hockey Club for her sons.  She was the President of the Shady Island Association. In Colorado she was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and a member of the Chamber Host Committee.   

From the beginning, Virgie suffered from motion sickness and in later years she would end up in the hospital after plane flights.  It is ironic that her last flight was in a Flight-for-Life helicopter to Denver Swedish Hospital, as she was of Swedish descent.

As the matriarch of DeBourgh for the last 35 years, she was the major stockholder and continued to be active in all company events, including its move from Bloomington, MN to La Junta, CO in 1990. She will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and former and present employees of DeBourgh Mfg. Co.

A memorial service will be Tuesday, October 25, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1111 W. 10th Street, La Junta with the Reverend Terilynn Russ of the United Methodist Church of La Junta officiating.

Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the United Methodist Church of La Junta or other non-profit organizations in La Junta including Associated Charities, Koshare Indian Museum, Otero County Museum, La Junta Boys’ Ranch or IF (Inspiration Fields).