Nina Berggren

Nina Berggren, 98, of Elgin, ND and formerly of Langdon, ND, passed away Sunday, May 7, 2017 at Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center in Elgin, ND.

Nina Ardella (Ivesdal) Berggren was born to Lars and Martha (Haug) Ivesdal on July 8, 1918 on a farm near Edmore, ND. She was the youngest of nine children, thus the name Nina. She went on to graduate with honors from Edmore High School in 1936. Nina attended Union Commercial Business College in Grand Forks, ND and was employed in Devils Lake, ND in the treasurer’s office at the county courthouse. She also went to California during WWII and worked for Shell Oil loading fuel into tanker trucks and as a bookkeeper in downtown Long Beach.

Nina married Arvid Berggren, the love of her life, on November 27, 1944, and together, they farmed the Ernest Berggren homestead near Nekoma, ND raising dairy cattle and grain. The farm later became listed as a Centennial Farm of ND. Nina was known for her constant hard work and her skillful management of money. She was very artistic and was not afraid to tackle any project. She and Arvid made the homestead a �show place’ with numerous varieties of trees including fruit trees and lots of evergreens. Nina also was an avid vegetable and flower gardener. Their home was the scene of many gatherings and picnics. They had a fondness for animals. They were faithful members of Zion Lutheran Church in Loma, ND where Nina taught Sunday School, was Sunday School Supt., and was active in Ladies Aid.

Arvid & Nina retired and moved to Langdon, ND in 1982, and she lived there until August 2013 when she went to live with her daughter, Enid, in Carson, ND. Nina then moved to Elgin where she lived in assisted living. While in Langdon, she and Arvid were active members of the United Lutheran Church, serving and helping in any way that was needed. Nina enjoyed her church circle and her quilting group of friends and made hundreds of quilts over the years. She and Arvid were known to go fishing and camping as much as possible and would even get up early and catch fish before breakfast at the Langdon pond. In 1985, they made a trip to Norway and Sweden to visit relatives. Their place in Langdon won �Yard of the Month’. Nina was a healthy cook and a skillful baker and canner. She was an avid reader, often checking out 6 books a week at the library. She worked crossword puzzles, watched Wheel of Fortune, and played Scrabble with her beloved friend, Helmina Holo, (sometimes until midnight) which kept her mind sharp. She rode bike until she was 92. She was known for her homemade bread and lefsa and the sharing of her raspberries.

Nina is survived by her son, Arden (Patricia), on the home farm and Grand Forks and their children: Rachael (Rob) Neil and their son Caden of Alpharetta, GA, Crystal (Blake) Johnson and their children Emma, Laura, and Micah of Grand Forks, April Meza of Grand Forks, and Jonathon (Samantha) Berggren of Grand Forks; her daughter, Enid (Charles) Steinkuehler of Carson, ND and their children: Holly Karlstad of St. Paul, MN and Crystal (Dan) Heaton and their son, Ewen, of Bismarck; her dear friend Rita Maisel; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Nina was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 59 years in 2003; brothers Tollef (Myrtle) and James (Norma); sisters: Alice (Venious) Limke, Athalia (Reuben) Hammer, Juliet (Henry) Hellekson, Ida (George) Johnson, Myrtle Haggard, Evelyn (Melvin) Lee, and sister-in-law Lillian (Joe) Eggl.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at United Lutheran Church in Langdon, ND. Visitation will take place from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 12, 2017 at United Lutheran Church in Langdon and for one hour prior to service time at the church on Saturday. Interment will be at Loma Cemetery, Loma, ND.