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LINDSBORG — Betty Faye (Gates) Berggren, 87, of Lindsborg, passed into God’s promised heavenly home Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016, at Bethany Home. She was born July 25, 1929, in the farm home of Earl and Faye (Hormel) Gates nine miles south of Anthony, KS. In 1936, her parents moved the family to a two-story brick home built by her father and other relatives on the west side of Anthony, so they would live closer to the high school, and where her family sold eggs and milk from the family dairy to townspeople.
Betty was a piano teacher, organist, and pastor’s wife. She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg, the same church where she and Wendell Berggren had been married on February 2, 1951. She was a graduate of Anthony High School, May, 1947, and of Bethany College in Lindsborg, May, 1951. Betty and Wendell spent that summer at Bethphage Mission in Axtell, NE, and the following year at the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, MN. In the fall of 1952, Wendell entered Augustana Seminary at Rock Island, Il. During their four years there, Betty and Wendell had three children, Gerald, Naomi, and Mara.
After ordination in 1956, the family moved to Ong, NE, where they served until 1960. During this time, Erik joined the family. Then they moved to North Platte, NE, where they served until 1965. Their third and longest call brought them to Glasco, KS, and also their last child, James. In 1980 they moved to Dunlap, IA, and in 1988, Wendell retired from full-time ministry, and the family moved to Assaria, KS, in 1989. Betty began teaching piano in 1947 and continued until 1989, when she retired from teaching piano.
She was an avid gardener, loved good music, played piano, organ, and viola, and immersed herself in genealogy, spending countless hours looking through documents, writing letters, visiting homesteads, family churches, and grave yards. She loved the Lutheran Church, and she enjoyed reminding Wendell that Martin Luther was German. She was an adventurous cook, in spite of a fall from a horse in childhood which left her without a sense of smell or taste. She had a great memory. She remembered birthdays, baptisms, and anniversaries, not only of her family and friends, but extended family as well. She took time to write beautiful letters and thoughtful cards, and clipped newspaper articles or comics to include in them. She adored watching ice skaters and was still going on hikes well into her 70s.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Wendell, brother Robert, sister Marie, sister-in-law Grace, and brother-in-law Dean. She is survived by son Gerald and wife Brenda Berggren and daughter Naomi and husband Dirk Durant, all of Lindsborg, daughter Mara and husband Larry Peterson of Ceresco, NE, son Erik and wife Cheri Berggren of Topeka, and son James and wife Connie Berggren of Lenexa; grandchildren Lars, Anders, Nels (Audrey), and Vins Berggren, Earl (Crystal) and Carl (Marin) Peterson, Kensy (Bryant) Byers and Quinton (Jami) Berggren, and Harrison and Jonah Berggren; great grandchildren Wilson and Ethan Peterson, and Wyatt and Atticus Peterson; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Memorial services will be 10:30 AM, Saturday, August 13, 2016, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg, with inurnment of Wendell’s and Betty’s ashes following at 3:30 PM at the Walsburg Cemetery, Leonardville, KS. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to MOSAIC (formerly Bethphage Mission), care of Ryan Mortuary, 137 N 8th, Salina 67401.
