Jeanette Carolyn Berge, 93, of Lanesboro, passed away peacefully from cancer and dementia on Monday, October 17, 2022, at Stewartville Care Center. She was born February 12, 1929, in Fillmore, Minn., to Fred and Lillian Crowson. She grew up a country girl in the Wykoff, Fillmore and Chatfield areas, moving often with her parents to wherever our Grandpa Crowson found work for area farmers. She attended several different country schools and finished her schooling in Chatfield.
She married Bennett Berge on June 28, 1946. They farmed north of Lanesboro until retiring and moving into Lanesboro in 1986. There was hardly a duty on the farm that she couldn’t complete as well as any of the men. She was a very hard worker both inside and outside of the house. Over the years she worked part-time at the local mink ranch, the Lanesboro elementary school cafeteria, and the lunch counter at the Lanesboro Sales Commission. She was also highly sought after to wallpaper in local homes, which she completed meticulously. A favorite hobby was attending auctions, buying and selling antiques. A favorite job in later years was at Cornucopia in Lanesboro, now named Lanesboro Arts.
Jeanette was a member of Arendahl Lutheran Church, Peterson, Minn., and belonged to a circle and the Ladies’ Aide. In her spare time, she enjoyed knitting, crocheting, sewing, bowling, visiting family, playing fun card games and taking bus trips to the casino with her senior-aged friends. She was a very proud member of the Lanesboro Legion Auxiliary Post #40, volunteering her time and working at dinners and fund-raisers, marching in countless parades and attending veterans’ funerals, dressed in her uniform and hat, alongside the Legion Color Guard, honoring deceased veterans and Auxiliary members.
Jeanette is survived by her five children: Lynn Del (Jerry) Reimann, New Leipzig, N. Dak., Lonny (Linda) Berge, Chatfield, Kady Hoff, Rochester, Lowell (Vickie) Berge, Dodge Center, and Loren (Lois) Berge, Lanesboro; son-in-law Jim Jacobson, Rochester; 16 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, brothers Wayne (Terri) Crowson and Vernon (Beverly) Crowson, sisters-in-law Arlene Berge and Arlone Crowson, as well as many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bennett, daughter LaVonne, two sisters, Laura Dahl and Sonja Olson; brother Mervin Crowson, and great-grandson Cole Krenzke.
A worship service celebrating her life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 5, 2022, at Arendahl Lutheran Church, Highway 30, Peterson, Minn. Visitation will be at the church from 10-11 with service following; lunch is 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., with private burial at 1:30 at Arendahl Cemetery.
Johnson-Riley Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Lanesboro, is assisting the Berge family with arrangements. Online condolences are welcome at rileyfuneralhomes.com