Hazel Bergseth

Hazel Bergseth, age 98, of Ortonville, MN, died on September 10, 2019, at Fairway View Neighborhoods.

Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, at 1:30 p.m. at the Orpheum Theater at Fairway View Neighborhoods. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. Pastor David Tonn will officiate, and inurnment will take place at Eids Lutheran Cemetery in Otrey Township of Big Stone County.

Hazel Josephine Bergseth was born on June 12, 1921, to Lars and Elizabeth (Johnson) Bergseth in Artichoke Township, Big Stone County, Minnesota. She resided on the farm with her parents and thirteen siblings.

Trekking down the road as a first grader, Hazel entered District #49 Country School and graduated from Ortonville High School on May 28, 1941. After graduation, Hazel left home to work as a housekeeper for the Manley Alsaker family in Ortonville. It was there she extended her family with Elizabeth “Cookie” and Margaret, who became her additional “sisters”. While working for Manley and Clara, Clara felt that Hazel needed to expand her horizon and encouraged and helped Hazel move to Minneapolis and attend business college. She completed her courses at Minneapolis Business College, and in 1946, moved on into the work force as a stenographer, joining the employees at Prudential Life Insurance Company in Minneapolis. Her journey with the company gave her the opportunity to work in many areas of Prudential, and she continued to do so until the time of her retirement.

Retirement left Hazel living in the Minneapolis area until she decided to move back to Ortonville to be closer to her family. In 2013, Hazel moved to Northridge in Ortonville, now known as Fairway View Neighborhoods. Hazel was one of the first residents to move into the new Fairway View Neighborhood. She made new friends with the residents and the staff, and Fairway View Neighborhood was her home until the time of her death on Tuesday, September 10, 2019.

Hazel loved to do stitchery and enjoyed working on projects that challenged her. Through the years, she has done countless beautiful projects which will always remind us of her busy hands that were never idle. While living in Minneapolis, she was an active member of the Minneapolis Women’s Club, and when time permitted, traveled with her friends.

Hazel is survived by her sister, Delores Bergseth; sister-in-law, Arvilla Bergseth; nieces: Ethel (Garry) Swenson, Judith Roberts, Sherry (Joe) Skorczewski, and Nancy (Galen) Jergenson; great-nieces and nephews; and her extended sisters: Elizabeth, better known as “Cookie” Steiner nee Alsaker, and Margaret Revell nee Alsaker. Her “garden of life” friends were her many neighbors and staff at Fairway View Neighborhoods who grew to so dearly love her.

Hazel was preceded in death by her parents: Lars and Elizabeth Bergseth; sisters: Alice, Muriel, Luella, and Lorraine; brothers: Art, Homer, Lester, Lawrence, Marvin, Ed, Harold, and Chester; and her dear friends and extended family, Manley and Clara Alsaker.