Obituary of Elmer Berg

Elmer Berg, late of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan, passed away peacefully with family by his side after a short dignified battle with cancer on Saturday, August 16, 2014. He was the eldest of 5 children, born to John & Ruth Berg on the family farm at Hallonquist, Saskatchewan on October 23, 1929. The family later moved to what is now the family farm at Bateman, Saskatchewan. Elmer married Jean Costley on March 26, 1951 at the United Church in Bateman, Saskatchewan and lived on the family farm with his parents. In the fall of 1954 they moved to Peace River where Elmer worked at the Saw Mill until the spring of 1955 when he was hired as a grain buyer for the Searle Grain Company in Bateman and moved to Bateman, Saskatchewan. In 1961 he transferred to Estevan, Saskatchewan and in 1965 Elmer bought the "Royce Frank” farm near Bateman where he farmed with his wife and raised their 4 children. In 1968 he moved his family to Swift Current where he managed the National Store (now called Peavey Mart) until 1970 when he went back to the farm. In 1995 he moved the house to Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan where he and Jean lived until very recently when he moved into the Pioneer Villa and then the Foyer at St. Joseph’s Hospital/Foyer d’Youville. Elmer was predeceased by his parents, John & Ruth (nee Coward) Berg, brother Vernon (Janet) Berg, brothers-in-law Ken Bradley, Jimmy (Leona) Costley, Delbert (Ethel) Costley, Norman (Mildred) Costley, Lorne Costley, sister-in-law Agnes Costley & step-grandson Trevor MacPhail. Elmer is survived by his loving wife Jean of 63 years, sons Garnet (Fe) Berg, Kelvin (Verna) Berg, daughters Janice (Louis) Michaud, Sherry (Ralph) MacPhail, 13 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, brother Rienharet (Teresa), sisters Irene (Pete) Martens and Margaret (Don) Norum. Elmer loved to travel and spent over 25 years down South every winter in Mesa, Arizona. Elmer will be remembered as a social butterfly, always having time to stop with a smile to visit when he was up town getting the mail, groceries or paying bills. He enjoyed "tinkering” on the farm, always working on something or fixing something using his favorite shop stool, which he would often bring to the field when needed. Golf was one of his favorite pass times, which he did up until the age of 83 going out every morning with the boys trying to avoid getting stuck with "ticks” or the "snake”. Elmer also enjoyed curling, billiards and bowling. Many Saturday nights were spent with the ol’ card gang playing cards taking turns at each other’s houses. Elmer was also a Mason which he joined in 1951. The United funeral service was held on Thursday, August 21, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption Co-Cathedral in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan with Rev. Linda Tomlinson-Seebach officiating. Grandson, Raymond Michaud, delivered a touching eulogy while sitting on Grampa’s shop stool. Readers were sons-in-law Ralph MacPhail and Louis Michaud. Pallbearers were grandchildren Greg Berg, Edward Berg, Rebecca Berg, Michael Berg, Amanda Williams, Dustin Williams, Raymond Michaud, Jessica Michaud and Charlene Michaud. A private family interment took place at the Bateman & Community Cemetery followed by a social lunch at the Bateman Hall. Donations may be made in his memory to St. Joseph’s Hospital/Foyer d’Youville Foundation Inc.