Anna Mae Berg

Anna Mae Berg, age 80, Sioux Falls, formerly of Willow Lake died in the Sanford Cottage Hospice Foundation Home in Sioux Falls late Friday night, January 15, 2010. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 1:00 PM in the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake with Pastor Jim Uthe officiating. Music will be presented by Jody Symens as organist. The soloist will be Lisa Bruley singing "On Eagle's Wings" with Rhonda Michalski playing the piano. The Congregation will sing "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", "Amazing Grace" and "Silent Night". Casketbearers will be Robert Stroman, Mike Berg, Brady Green, David Berg, Scott Stroman and Rob Green. Burial will be in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Visitation will be held Monday from 5PM-7PM Church in Willow Lake. Visitation will continue after noon at the Church on Tuesday. Ann Mae Berg was born on October 15, 1929 on the "Black" farm as it was known north of the Town of Willow Lake. As a young girl at home they spoke German. She attended a country school north of town until beginning school in Willow Lake and then graduating from Willow Lake High School in 1947. Anna Mae then attended General Beadle College at Madison to obtain her teaching certificate. After obtaining the certificate, she taught for two years at Badger, SD and then for 3 years at a country school near Willow Lake. On October 5, 1951 she was united in marriage to Donald Berg at the Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake. For the most part, the couple made their home in Willow Lake where Anna Mae worked at the school as a substitute teacher and later an aide. Don died in 1994. Anna Mae continued living in Willow Lake, attending many events around the area, until failing health in 2008 made her move from her home. Since that time she stayed with her son, David in Owatonna, then to Pierre for a short time with her daughter, Sara and then to be closer to her daughter, Becky, in Sioux Falls, she moved to The Inn at Westport in July of 2008 and just recently into the Sanford Cottage Hospice Foundation Home. Anna Mae was active in the church she was a member of, the United Presbyterian Church, where she served for many years as Sunday School Supt. and had been Past President of the Ladies Aid. She was also active in mission work of the church for some time and had taken a trip to Ecuador as part of the mission work. In the community of Willow Lake, both she and her husband Don, served a vital role in the fund-raising to build the Willow Lake Swimming Pool. She also was a member of the Willow Lake Lioness Club for several years. Some of her hobbies included sewing and quilting, making of memory quilts and in her Church sewing a quilt for many of the high school seniors that have graduated over the years. She was very crafty with her hands and will long be remembered for her sharp wit. She enjoyed canning and the annual ritual of grinding horseradish with Don. Another thing she was mighty proud of and most of you had no idea on this, but on her 80th birthday she got a tattoo of a butterfly. (It's on her ankle!) Grateful for having shared in her life are her children, Becky (Scott) Stroman of Sioux Falls, David (Sharleen) Berg of Owatonna, MN and Sara (Rob) Green of Pierre, 7 grandchildren, Robert (Sonja) Stroman, Christine Stroman, Emily, Michael and Elizabeth Berg, Kaitlin and Braden Green and 2 great-grandchildren, Trenton and Aedan. Also surviving are her siblings, Thressa Gallipo and Wes (Dar) Busse all of Sioux Falls. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband Donald, a sister, Wilma (Roger) Dunfee and a brother-in-law, Lee Gallipo. Arrangements are announced by the Furness Funeral Home of Clark who is serving the family. There is an on-line registry and guestbook at www.furnessfuneralhome.com.