Sophie Emmaline Berger

Funeral Service for Sophie Emmaline Berger, 94, of Herman, Minnesota will be held Friday, August 28, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Herman, Minnesota with Pastor Jennifer Rose officiating. Pallbearers will be Sophie’s eleven grandchildren. Honorary Pallbearers will be the Redpath Homemakers. Interment will be at Lakeside Cemetery, Herman. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Thursday evening at the Ranney Funeral Home in Wheaton and one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. Sophie Emmaline Volker was born on a farm in Grant Country, east of Herman, Minnesota on November 19, 1914. Her parents were William and Zena (DeVries) Volker. She was the oldest of six children: Ervin, Lloyd, Willard, Bernard, and finally a little sister, Betty. She went to country school before attending high school in Herman, graduating in 1934. On March 28, 1936, Sophie married Paul Henry Berger in Sisseton, South Dakota. Gladys Berger and Virgil Wawers were their attendants. They lived at the B.B. Ranch with Axel, Stan and Nina, and Eric. It was a very exciting time with many barn dances and rodeos. They were entertained by many famous musicians like Tiny Little and Lawrence Welk. Paul and Sophie had five children: Jerry, Eugene (deceased), Dwaine, Eileen, and LeRoy. Sophie was very active in 4-H, church activities, and was a charter member of the Redpath Homemakers. When the children were grown and left home, they spent some winters in Texas, Florida, and Arizona. Paul suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away in November of 1986. Sophie moved to Herman in January of 1987. Sophie especially loved and enjoyed her grandchildren and great grandchildren, spending many hours sharing each others company. In her later years Sophie’s special friend was John Morrow. Sophie and John have been together for many years. They would spend their winters in Florida and summers in Herman. They enjoyed playing cards and attended many whist partys. Sophie passed away Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at the Wheaton Community Hospital in Wheaton. Sophie is survived by four children: Jerry (Wanda) Berger of Wheaton, Minnesota, Dwaine (Judy) Berger of Carlos, Minnesota, Eileen (Chuck) Struckman of Moorhead, Minnesota and LeRoy Berger of Alexandria, Minnesota, two brothers: Bernard (Lenora) Volker of Herman, Minnesota and Lloyd Volker of Barrett, Minnesota, eleven grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews. Sophie was preceded in death by her husband: Paul Berger, son: Eugene Berger, grandson: Scott Struckman, two brothers: Ervin and Willard Volker, sister: Betty Allen, and one daughter-in-law: Karen Berger.