Helen Bergeland

Helen Bergeland, of Dawson, died Sunday, May 13, 2018 at Johnson Memorial Health Services, at the age of 92.

Funeral services will be held Monday, May 21, 2018 at 11:00 AM at The Refuge Church (Community Bible) of Montevideo.  Rev. Bruce Jarman will officiate, and interment will be in Terrace Lawn Memory Gardens.

Visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to services.

Today we are celebrating the life of our mother and friend, Helen Eleanor Bueide, born July 25, 1925, to Rev. Harold and Ella (Christensen) Bueide in Plentywood, Montana. The life of a preacher's daughter required her to be adaptable to moving to new places. She enjoyed growing up with her siblings James, Ann, Ruth, and David. Carol and Margaret died at young ages. Being the oldest gave her a lot of responsibility helping watch over her younger brothers and sisters. She also took part in church youth activities, and drama, basketball, and choir in high school.

After graduating from Wallace High School, SD, in 1943, Helen was accepted into the Lutheran Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing. This continued to develop her servant heart in caring for others. She became close friends with Mavis Bergeland while at the Deaconess. Through Mavis, she met her future husband, Mavis's brother Harlowe. Helen had always wanted to marry a Christian farmer so she'd not have to move again. She graduated from the Deaconess as a registered nurse in May, 1946, and attended and graduated from the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corp in 1947. Since WWII had ended she was not deployed with the WACS.

On December 13, 1947, Helen married her dream farmer, Harlowe Jerome Bergeland in Minneapolis, MN. They moved to his farm northwest of Dawson, MN. She worked as an RN at the Montevideo Hospital. They also started a family with Carol Mae arriving first, then Jerome Harlowe, Constance Marie, Kirsten Kay, and Timothy Alan. She was a loving, kind mother who worked hard caring well for her growing family. She was asked to help with the Head Start program for 2 years during this time and later she worked part-time for 30+ years at the Dawson Hospital and the Johnson Memorial Health Services (nursing home).

She enjoyed homemaking, sewing, gardening, mowing the lawn with the riding mower, playing the piano and organ, reading, traveling, and camping through the years. Also, Helen taught Sunday School at Grace Lutheran Church and was active in the Ladies Circle. She was involved in the American Legion Auxiliary and was an adult leader in the Hamlin Hustler's 4-H Club. She was actively involved and held many leadership positions in Christian Women's Club from the 70s – 90s. They also hosted young adult Bible studies in their home after moving into Dawson in 1979 and were involved in Young At Heart and other activities at the Community Bible Church in Montevideo.

Harlowe and Helen enjoyed wintering in Florida for 25+ years where they made many close friends and were active in the church there. Visiting them in FL holds many cherished memories for their children and grandchildren. They also hosted many fun family gatherings in their home for birthdays, holidays and other occasions.

Helen is survived by her children; Jerome (Nancy) Bergeland, Madison, MN, Constance (Wallace) Hardie, Wahpeton, ND, Kirsten (Stephen) Fong, Eagan, MN, Timothy (Heidi) Bergeland, Murdock, MN; son-in-law, Richard Dugan, Collinsville, TX; 17 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Harlowe; daughter, Carol Dugan; grandson, Nathanael Hardie; brothers, James Bueide and David Bueide; sisters, Carol Bueide, Margaret Bueide, Ann Zaudtke Spenser, and Ruth Samuelson; brothers-in-law, Ron Zaudtke and Paul Samuelson; and numerous other extended family and friends.

Proverbs 31:28...”Her children rise up and call her blessed...”