Henry John Berg

He and Janice Stark married on April 11, 1969 and lived on the family farm for 25 years until their son Jerry purchased it, and Hank, Janice, and daughter Kristin moved two miles away, where he lived until his death.

Henry’s life’s work revolved around milk, even though he never drank it himself!  For a few years, he juggled milking cows and farming, plus hauling canned milk.  He started out with a pickup and kept getting bigger trucks to accommodate the growing route.  In 1984, as the milk industry was transitioning to mostly bulk-milk hauling, Henry decided to sell his own cows and focus on hauling for others.  After hauling his own route for years, he then later sold to Skogquist Trucking in Princeton.  He drove for them for a few years until they sold the route.  Henry ended his forty-year milk hauling career hauling for Ron Hess in Foley before retiring in 2011 due to health issues.

Henry was an avid sports fan all of his life, especially the Minnesota Vikings and Twins, but he would watch any sports and knew a ton of statistics about them.  He also bowled for many years on a Thursday night league.  He bowled for other teams, and then sponsored his own team “Berg Trucking” for years.  In retirement, he took special pride in maintaining his beautiful 2-plus acre lawn. 

Also, in retirement, Henry learned how to navigate the Internet and loved to watch YouTube videos on all things related to farming and the outdoors and also searched for farm equipment on auction sites for his son.  Henry loved being his son’s co-pilot on the trips to pick up equipment.  He loved any trips.  He and his daughter made it to one Twins game a year for several years.

He also loved deer hunting, but the hunting was not really the priority, it was more about the B.S. and tall tales that got repeated year after year.  In his earlier years Old Milwaukee was a staple for him and his friends and family up at the deer shack.  

Henry, also known as “Hank” to many friends and family, and often simply “H.B.” to his close family, never cared what you called him, as long as it was not late to supper.  Henry loved to go out to eat, even if it was for a simple drive-thru burger. 

Henry had a quirky sense of humor, giving the family pets silly nicknames, picking up funny catchphrases from commercials, and constantly repeating funny old-timey phrases, like, “hotter than woodpecker lips” and “dryer than a popcorn fart.”

His family may have been small, but they were always his top priority.

Henry was preceded in death by his parents, Wesley and Mary (Block) Berg, father and mother-in law, Lennart and Louisa Stark, brothers-in-law, Jimmy Stark and Charles Marsden, sister-in-law, Judy Stark, and half-brother, David Block.

Henry is survived by his wife Janice, of 54 years, son, Jerry, daughter, Kristin, brother-in-law, Jerry Stark, sister-in-law, Janet Marsden, and many other relatives and friends.

A celebration of life will be held at the Borgholm Town Hall on August 26^th from Noon – 4 p.m.  (16041 70^thAve. Milaca, MN 56353)