Garfield Bergstrom

Bergstrom, Ray, ND, was

born on October 8, 1929

to E.G. and Laura (Daniel)

Bergstrom on a farm 9 ¢

miles SE of Ray in Farm-

vale Township.

Garfield started school

at age 5 because his older

sister Doris was scared to

go to school alone and

would cry, so his parents

sent him to go with her.

He often talked about his

dislike of school and

looked forward to every

spring and fall so he

could skip school to help

his dad plant and harvest.

He enjoyed and played

basketball and baseball for

the Ray Jays. Garfield

moved with his family to

his Grandpa John’s farm

on Highway 2 east of Ray

in 1946. Garfield graduat-

ed from Ray High School

in 1947. He worked at the

potato warehouse and

farmed with his dad.

On Tuesday, November

28, 1950, at 8:00 a.m. Gar-

field married his high

school sweetheart, Marlys

Weyrauch, the daughter

of Raymond and Dode

(Welo) Weyrauch. They

were the first couple mar-

ried in the new St.

Michael’s Catholic

Church. They chose this

date as the priest had a

mass every Tuesday and

dad didn’t want to “put

him out.” The church

remained an important

part of their lives. Their

honeymoon consisted of a

drive to Trenton in their

only vehicle, a 1949 truck.

They returned to the farm

they purchased from

Bernt and Beret Foss to

start their 69 year mar-

riage in a tiny house with

one bedroom and no run-

ning water. Twelve years

and five children later,

they took the gigantic step

of building a new home.

Two more children born

in the new home complet

ed the family.

Garfield farmed with

his brother Donald until

1984. At that time the

land was split and their

adult sons joined each

operation. Garfield helped

his sons start farming just

as his dad had done for

him and Donald.

Throughout his life he

and mom raised small

grains and cattle. He

loved his cows, and his

cows loved him. When

he walked out in the pas-

ture the cows would come

running. For extra in-

come during the winter

months, he trapped

beaver, mink and

muskrats for many years.

Dad and mom took great

enjoyment in driving

around the countryside

looking at the crops.

Garfield always lent a

helping hand to a neigh-

bor in need. He believed

that a verbal agreement

and a handshake was all

that was needed. He was

a lifelong Democrat, and

he loved all food (espe-

cially chicken and pump-

kin pie). He enjoyed fol-

lowing his kids and

grandkids in their sports

and other activities. Gar-

field and Marlys were

avid Minnesota Twins

and Vikings fans, and in

recent years he closely

followed the NDSU Bison

and the Philadelphia Ea-

gles.

Garfield received his

first oil check in 2011, but

he would tell you, “it’s the

easiest money I ever made

but I enjoyed the

hard-earned money

more.”

We will certainly miss

our dad’s outgoing per-

sonality, humor, quick

wit, honesty, and excel-

lent memory which led to

great story-telling and

one-liners. We now know

dad is reminiscing with

many neighbors and good

friends who passed before

him, including Clarence

Liesener, Tony Hickel,

Roger Hauge and Earl Er-

ickson.

Surviving family in-

cludes his bride of 69

years, Marlys; seven chil-

dren, Barb (Les) Slagle,

Jacki (Vern) Barman, Gary

Bergstrom, Bruce (Mari)

Bergstrom, Janis (Dave)

Bosch, Andrea (Brad)

Miller, and Alan (Rachel)

Bergstrom. Also surviving

are 15 grandchildren,

Brenna (Don) Neumann,

Teresa (Brian) Claypool,

Eric (Heidi) Barman,

Alysia Barman, Ryan

(Jaci) Bergstrom, Austin

Bergstrom, Keaton (Lexie)

Bergstrom, Mallory

(Chris) Briol, Matthew

Bosch, Colin Miller, Brady

(fiancé Chantel) Miller,

Kinley Bergstrom, Kiara

Bergstrom, Kasen

Bergstrom, and Kai

Bergstrom; as well as 11

great-grandchildren,

Brynn, Ava, Luke, Nora,

Wyatt, Noah, Ty, Andee,

Bo, Tyus, and Theodore.

He is also survived by his

dear sister Doris

Weyrauch, sister-in-law

Connie Bergstrom, and

brother-in-law Lennie Lar-

son, as well as several

nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death

by his parents and

in-laws, brother Donald

Bergstrom,

brothers-in-law Sidney

Weyrauch, Chauncey

Weyrauch and Duard

Weyrauch, sisters-in-law,

Helen Weyrauch, Jean

Larson, and Delores

Weyrauch.

The family requests

memorials be given to St.

Michael’s Catholic Church

Endowment Fund, the

Alzheimer’s Association,

or a charity of your

choice.

Our dad’s wish was to

remain on the farm until

his final breath. God

granted this wish to him

on Friday, December 27,

2019. We will love you

and miss you forever.

Rosary and family ser-

vices are open for the

public to attend and will

be held Wednesday Janu-

ary 1, 2020 at 5:00 pm in

the St. Michael’s Catholic

Church. A funeral service

for Garfield is to take

place Thursday, January

2, 2020 at 10:30 am in the

St. Michael’s Catholic

Church, 216 West Street

Ray ND. Services are

under the direction of

Fulkerson Stevenson Fun-

eral Home.