Date of Birth:
Saturday, August 19, 1939
Date of Death:
Friday, January 3, 2025
Age:
85 years old

Marlene Bergan

Marlene F. Bergan – Chatfield

Marlene Fay “Gramma” Bergan, 85, of Chatfield, MN suddenly and unexpectedly went home to the arms of Jesus on Friday, January 3, 2025, as the result of a brain aneurysm.

Marlene was born August 19, 1939, in Cloquet, MN to S. Albert “Al” and Florence “Flossie” (Johnson) Morgan.  Her family moved frequently, and she often told how she attended 3 kindergartens.  After many more moves within the Twin Cities metro area, she graduated from Bloomington High School in 1957, and attended nursing school at Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.

While in nurse’s training, she met Lester Bergan who came to the hospital for an appendectomy.  He stole the scissors from the back of her apron in order to get her name, and eventually persuaded her to go out on a date with him.  It proved an effective strategy, as they married on Nov 25, 1961, in Edina, MN.

Les and Mar purchased a beautiful, wooded acreage just south of Chatfield, which Mar referred to as “the friendly forest.”  Although raised in the big city, she was by nature a country girl and never lost her childlike delight for all of God’s creation. She loved the bald eagles that soared over the valley below, the deer—especially “Juliet” who regularly lunched on apples outside her bedroom window, all of her flowers and of course the birds. We’re so thankful that her final act was to fill the bird feeders on her deck.

Creativity, beauty and music were important aspects of Marlene’s life.  As a young mother, she sewed all her children’s clothes on a treadle sewing machine.  Over the years she graduated to fancy machines that allowed her even to embroider intricate designs.  She knit and crocheted as well, eventually buying knitting machines.  She was well-known for her machine knit dish cloths, which were frequent and highly anticipated gifts.  Music was part of her soul and she often sang as she went about her day – a trait that she passed on to most of her children.

Marlene loved the Lord and wanted everyone to know him.  She was zealous in handing out “Have a Good Day” pamphlets.  They were sure to be enclosed with every birthday card and bill.  In the early 80’s, she decided that the best way to educate her children was in a Christian school, and she worked as a teacher’s aid in order to pay for their education.  After a couple years, she began homeschooling the two youngest.  She was truly a pioneer in the homeschooling movement.  Her greatest desire was that her husband, children and grandchildren would love the Lord and follow Him.

It didn’t take long for any stranger to become a friend.  Mar truly loved people and they could tell.  She introduced herself as “Gramma Bergan” to all – whether you were 2 or 52 – and so many adored her as their surrogate grandmother!

Left to mourn her loss are her beloved husband of 63 years, her five children, Greg (Tammy) Bergan of Rochester, Gwen (Rick) Battis of Green Valley, AZ, Jennifer (Othelmo) da Silva of Chatfield, Melody (Jeremy) Johnson of Oak Ridge, TN and Ben (Malisha) Bergan of Coon Rapids.  She is also survived by 21 grandchildren (if you met her, you probably know that 18 of them are boys and only 3 are girls) and 7 great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by her sister Joyce Nord of Prior Lake, and her brothers Jim (Yvonne) Morgan of Rosemount and Rodger (Ronnie Jo) Morgan of Richfield.  She was predeceased by her parents, her brother-in-law Merlin Nord and all of Lester’s siblings.

We hope you will be able to join the family in reminiscing and celebrating a life well-lived.  The funeral service will be held at 11am on Saturday, February 1 at Calvary Baptist Church in Chatfield, MN. Visitation will be from 5-7pm on Friday, January 31 and again at 10am on Saturday at the church.

Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com.