Harland Berg
Oct. 25, 1942-Jan. 16, 2022
Harland D. Berg, the
son of Hartwick and
Christine Helen (Nelson)
Berg was born October 25,
1942 at the Good Samari-
tan Hospital in Rugby,
North Dakota along with a
twin sister, Helen Chris-
tine. He passed away on
Sunday, January 16, 2022
from complications of Co-
vid-19 pneumonia at the
age of 78 years at the
Heart of America Medical
Center in Rugby, ND.
Harland was raised on
the family farm, rural
York, and attended York
and Leeds Public Schools.
He completed his educa-
tion graduating from
Leeds High School. In
1966 he joined the U.S.
Army, served 2 years
which included deploy-
ment in Korea. Following
his honorable discharge in
1968 Harland returned
home. He then went to
work in Bottineau where
he was introduced to the
love of his life, Voila Ver-
na Gotter. Harland and
Viola were united in mar-
riage on May 24, 1969 at
the Grace Lutheran
Church in Bottineau. Fol-
lowing the marriage the
couple resided in Bot-
tineau and Towner, before
moving to their farm in
rural York where they
made their home and
raised four beautiful girls
who were Harland’s pride
and joy. The couple spent
the next 30 years farming
and raising several farm
animals.
Harland joined the York
American Legion Post
#268 and Harlow VFW
Post #757 after his
discharge from the ser-
vice. He was very proud
of his military role and
stepped up in many post
positions over the years.
He had the family in-
volved as well, including
Candace who would play
taps along with her dad at
many ceremonial grave-
side Memorial Day ser-
vices. Harland was ac-
tively involved with
membership and execu-
tive committee roles along
with maintaining the Le-
gion. He and Vi would
display flags on the
veteran graves every
Memorial Day at the rural
York cemeteries, making
sure the veterans were
honored.
After retirement, Har-
land and Vi relocated to
Rugby where he lived at
the time of his death. He
had several side jobs just
to stay busy in Rugby, in-
cluding working at a
hotel, restaurant and a
bank. Even after their
move to Rugby, Harland
made regular visits to the
farm, which is where his
heart was always. The
couple enjoyed several
family trips. In 2019 to
celebrate 50 years of mar-
riage, Harland fulfilled his
dream of visiting Norway,
which is his family heri-
tage. Harland was proud
to be 100 percent
Norwegian. He enjoyed
the language and regularly
greeted people by phone
or in person with
Norwegian greetings.
Harland also enjoyed
making and eating
Norwegian treats.
Harland’s purpose in
life was fulfilled through
the love he had and
showed to his family and
the farm. He was very
proud of his four girls,
and would regularly speak
of them helping at the
farm, driving the tractor,
herding cows, hauling
bales and doing farm
chores. Throughout this
life, Harland was a care-
taker of his family and
loved ones. He looked for-
ward to family time. He
was always happy to have
his family around him
and would greet them
with a big hug and a gig-
gle of happiness,
Harland’s wife, girls and
grandchildren were every-
thing to him and he en-
joyed attending school
and sporting events they
were involved in along
side of Vi. He enjoyed the
Minnesota Vikings and
the Twins. He listened to
and kept statistics for the
local basketball games
while listening to them on
the radio. Harland en-
joyed following the news,
talking politics, and was
proud to be a Trump sup-
porter!
He was a meticulous
handyman staying busy
working on vehicles or
tinkering with anything
he could find to work on
throughout his life. He
enjoyed and had a special
talent of fixing and repair-
ing things whether a
mower, pickup, car or
tractor. In those retire-
ment years, Harland en-
joyed fixing up the homes
they purchased and he
loved gardening. Harland
and Vi proudly plantied
the annual garden and
tendied to it. In the last
few years they “fostered”
dog Oliver. Oliver be-
came his walking buddy
and an everyday compan-
ion. Nobody was a
stranger to Harland. If you
did not know each other
when he arrived, you
would leave as friends. He
was known for starting a
conversation with
strangers wherever he
might be. He enjoyed a
cup of coffee and visiting
with people and getting to
know them. He had a
way of making others
around him feel special.
He would go out of his
way to greet people and
had a way of touching
people’s hearts. He men-
tored to all of his family
and his words of wisdom
are unforgettable.
He was raised in the
Leeds Lutheran Church
where he was confirmed.
He and his family attend-
ed the York Lutheran
Church until its closing,
then attending the Luth-
eran Free Church in
Leeds. When the couple
moved to Rugby, they at-
tended the Calvary
Evangelical Free Church
in Rugby. When unable
to attend church Harland
listened to Pastor Mike on
the radio.
Harland is survived by
his wife of 52 years, Viola
“Vi”; 4 daughters,
Candace Berg, Devils
Lake, ND; Carmen (James)
Buckmeier; Cimberly
Berg-Hooker both of
Minot, ND; and Chantel
Berg of Rugby, ND. 8
grandchildren, Tylor,
Haylee, and Landyn
Carlson, Jeshua, Casin
and Jantz Buckmeier, Tay-
lor and Blake Hooker; 2
great grandchildren,
Braxton and Ryker Buck-
meier; His twin sister,
Helen Rollman of Gran-
ville; sisters-in-law,
Dorothy (Leonard) Rivard
of Minot; and Violet
Yineman of Dickinson;
brothers-in-law, Herb
(Dorothy) Gotter of Bot-
tineau; and Milfred
“Butch” (Barb) Gotter of
St. Paul, MN , nieces,
nephews and other rela-
tives and friends. He was
preceeded in death by his
parents and father and
mother-in-law.
Funeral services were
be held at 10:00 a.m. Fri-
day, January 21, 2022 at
Calvary Evangelical Free
Church in Rugby with
burial at 3:00 p.m.
Monday in the North
Dakota Veterans Cemetery
in Mandan, ND. Pastor
Mike Lundberg officiating.
Music By: Arlene John-
son and Eldon Borgen
The Casket
Bearers: Grandsons,
Tylor, and Landyn
Carlson, Jeshua, Casin
and Jantz Buckmeier and
Blake Hooker
Honorary Bearers: Granddaughters,
Haylee Carlson and
Taylor Hooker
Military Honors Ac-
corded by: North Dakota
Funeral Honors Detail
Arrangements with the
Anderson Funeral Home
of Rugby. Online registry:
www.funeralsby
anderson.com