Mary Anna Sophia Dahlgren

Funeral Services for Mary A. Dahlgren will be conducted from the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bertrand, Nebraska on Saturday, October 7, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Jeff Ernstmeyer, officiating. Interment will be in the Highland Cemetery at Bertrand.

Mary Anna Sophia Dahlgren, 92 years of age, of Bertrand, Nebraska, passed away on Tuesday, October 3, 2006 at the Bertrand Nursing Home. Mary was born November 5, 1913 at Chapman, Nebraska, the seventh of eight children of Henry and Anna (Kirchheck) Ropers. Mary's mother, Anna passed away when she was two years of age. Mary received her primary education at District #54 at Buffalo, Nebraska through the sixth grade. She then attended school in Lexington, Nebraska and in the eleventh grade her father, Henry was killed in a tornado. Having lost both parents at a very young age, Mary worked as a housekeeper for several families to pay her way through high school. She then graduated from Lexington High School with the class of 1932.

On August 28, 1935 she was united in marriage to Vernon Victor Dahlgren at Lexington and to this union four children were born: Robert, Gary, Judy and Mary Jane. The family made their home in Lexington, where Vernon worked for the Denver Milling Company. In 1940 they engaged in farming and fed cattle 4 ½ miles northeast of Bertrand. In 1973 the couple moved into Bertrand, where Mary worked in the kitchen at the Bertrand Nursing Home from 1975 – 1984. On August 9, 1984 she was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon.

Mary was a devoted member of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bertrand, where she sang in the choir and active with the Ladies Aide. Mary was also a past member of the Soroptimist Club in Lexington, member and on the council of the "Homemakers" extension club, member of the Bertrand Women's Club, Garden Club of Bertrand, member of the Bertrand Volunteers, the November Birthday Club, past board member of the Nebraska Prairie Museum, first woman to sit on the Bertrand Town Board, member of the Phelps County Republican Women, involved with the Phelps County Women of Highway Safety, active at the Bertrand Senior Center, member of the Kearney Chapter Parliamentarians and was a 4-H Leader. She celebrated the fact that she was the Parade Marshall of the 2006 Bertrand Fair and Rodeo. Mary also enjoyed traveling with her husband and friends, enjoyed baking which she shared with many friends and family, enjoyed talking politics, sporting events, reading, playing cards, tending to her flower garden, especially her red roses and enjoyed the fellowship of family and friends.

She leaves to mourn her passing her two sons: Robert Dahlgren and his wife, Betty and Gary Dahlgren and his wife, Marlene all of Bertrand; two daughters: Judy McDonald and her husband, John of Kearney, Nebraska and Jane Tonjes and her husband, Hank of Bertrand; twelve grandchildren: Karen Schonewise and her husband, Quintin of Lawrence, Kansas, Jodene Keeler and her husband, Bruce of Parker, Colorado, Andy Dahlgren and his wife, Lona of Bertrand, Callan Dahlgren and his wife, Shanna of Bertrand, Jeff McDonald and his wife, Holly of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gregg Dahlgren and his wife, Kristen of Kearney, Amber Siekman and her husband, Brian of Bertrand, Shad Dahlgren of Lincoln, Nebraska, Lisa Tonjes of Omaha, Jason McDonald and his wife, Staci of Omaha, Michael Dahlgren of Lincoln, and Angie Karr and her husband, Jerrad of Manhattan, Kansas; twenty-four great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Besides her husband, Vernon and her parents, Mary was preceded in death by three brothers: Albert in infancy, John Ropers and George Ropers; four sisters: Hattie Ropers in infancy, Lizzie Strumpler, Meta Ropers and Anna Phillippi;

Mrs. Dahlgren will lie in state at the Sandstrom Funeral Home in Bertrand on Friday, October 6, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

A memorial has been established in her memory and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Sandstrom Funeral Home in Bertrand, Nebraska is in charge of the arrangements.