Ralph Thomas Berg, the son of Bennie and Ruth (Swenson) Berg was born in the rural Finnegan Township, Rolette County home of his parents on September 18, 1916.  He died at the age of 98 years on Monday, March 16, 2015 at the Heart of America Medical Center in Rugby.

Ralph was reared in the rural home of his parents and received his education in the Wolf Creek and Rolette schools.  Following school, he remained on the farm helping his father with the farming.  On February 10, 1940, he was united in marriage to Tena Opstedal in Rugby.  They purchased a farm in South Valley Township, Rolette County where they farmed hand-in-hand until retiring in 1978.  Ralph served as treasurer of the South Valley Township and secretary for the East Barton Telephone Company for several years.  In 1987, Ralph and Tena purchased a home in Rugby.  Tena died December 13, 1999.  Ralph continued to live in his own home until moving to the Haaland Estates Assisted Living in Rugby three years ago.  In his youth, he enjoyed playing basketball and followed that and all sports through his life.  The couple enjoyed wintering in Arizona after retiring, and had special routine “dates/traditions” that they followed year after year…a practice Ralph continued even after Tena’s passing.  Ralph loved a new car yearly, the coffee hour, having lunch with his sisters and sister-in-law on a regular basis and driving the farmlands at planting and harvest and greatly enjoyed his membership at First Lutheran.

He is survived by two sisters, Gladys Sanden and Myrtle Mattern, both of Rugby; a sister-in-law, Stella Lunde of Rugby; nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.  He was preceded in death by his wife; two brothers, Stanley and Marvin Berg; a nephew, Bob Berg and his parents.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 25^th at First Lutheran Church in Rugby with spring burial in the Persilla Watts Cemetery, Rugby.  Pastor Mike Pretzer and Pastor Sharon Baker, officiating.

Visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Anderson Funeral Home in Rugby and will continue for one hour prior to the time of services at the church on Wednesday.