Leah Berg, 1923-2019
Published 1:00 am Thursday, March 7, 2019
Leah Berg was born Jan. 19, 1923, in Waseca County, the daughter of Cyrus and Ollie (Hogenkamp) Routh.
Leah Berg
She was united in marriage to Harlan Berg on June 12, 1940, in northern Iowa. The couple shared more than 73 years before Harlan died in 2013.
Leah and Harlan made their life on a farm near New Richland, where they raised their family and she worked beside him. She also worked at EF Johnson in Waseca for more than 15 years. She was a member of First Congregational Church in New Richland, where she had been active with the church women’s group.
Throughout their lives Leah and Harlan enjoyed dancing at the Eagles Club, camping and wintering in Arizona for more than 20 years. They retired from farming in 1984, moving to Hartland and then in 2008 moved to New Richland.
Leah died peacefully Saturday, March 2, 2019, at New Richland Care Center.
Leah is survived by nine children, Wayne Curtis (Suzanne) Berg of Mesa, Arizona, Gary Lee (Lorraine) Berg of Mesa, Kay LaVonne (Pat) Adams of Owatonna, Rodney Harlan Berg (special friend, Pam) of Albert Lea, Neil Robert (Bobbi) Berg of Kirbyville, Missouri, Larry Dean (Mary) Berg of rural Hartland, Bruce Alan (Patty) Berg of rural New Richland, LaJean Carol (Jim) Westeng of rural Clarks Grove and Burton Dale (Connie) Berg of New Richland; 27 grandchildren; 65 great-grandchildren; 19 great-great-grandchildren; sister, Jean (Keith) Wilkenson, of Red Wing; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents Cyrus and Ollie Routh; her husband, Harlan, in 2013; granddaughter, Lynn Newman; great-grandson, Steven Batt; great-granddaughter, Etta Mae Ross; grandson-in-law, David Shearman; siblings Mary and her husband, Johnnie Walley, Alden and his wife, Lilly Routh, Ray and his wife, Dorothy Routh, Rex and his wife, Annie Routh, Glen and his wife, Alma Routh, and Floyd and his wife, Elsie Routh; and father and mother-in-law William and Esther Berg.
A celebration of life will take place at a later date. Her final resting place will be St. Olaf Cemetery in New Richland.
