Berdelle Kragnes

Berdelle M. Kragnes, age 93, died Sunday, December 1, 2013, in Fergus Falls, MN.

Berdelle Marie Huebner was born September 17, 1920, to William Huebner and Esther Huebner (Nelson) in Minneapolis, MN. The family lived in St. Paul, Austin, Hawley, and Glyndon, MN. She was working at St. Ansgar Hospital, Moorhead, MN, when she met her future husband, Abner Kragnes.

On August 31, 1941, Berdelle and Abner were married in Glyndon Lutheran Church. The made their home in Moorhead, and eventually moved to their farm in Kurtz Township, MN. Berdelle was a farm wife and homemaker.

Berdelle was awarded Clay County Homemaker of the Year. She was active in her community and her church. She held several positions of leadership in Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, including president of the Trinity Lutheran Church Women, president of the district ALCW, Sunday school teacher, and council member. She also wrote the prayers for Trinity's weekly Christian Radio program. She was a leader in the local Valley 4H Club and in Clearview Public School Dist 88. Berdelle was a lifetime writer of poetry. She had many published poems and she was a distinguished member of the International Society of Poets.

Berdelle was an avid traveler. She and Abby traveled to Hawaii as well as the countries of Norway, Newfoundland, Europe, Canada and Mexico. As well as her yearly beloved trips to visit with her siblings no matter how close or how far, Berdelle loved her trips to New York City. She loved to attend Broadway musicals and plays at Lincoln Center. Berdelle was a determined and steadfast mother of prayer and an avid spokesperson for faithful Christian love and service everywhere.

She is survived by a son, Allan (Andria) Kragnes, Kansas City, MO; daughters, Sandra Dekker, Minneapolis, MN, Linda Rosenfeldt, Harwood, ND, and Cheryl (Terry) Harrington, Fergus Falls; sisters, June (Walt) Westerberg, Maggie Ekanger, and Betty Bishop; and brother John (Peggy) Huebner; 9 grandchildren, Martinus "Joe" (Tigi) Dekker, Jacqueline (Nate) Dekker-Travis, Matthew (Cassandra) Dekker, Mary (Michael) Russ, Tanya (Joel) Kowalski, Brian (Julie) Rosenfeldt, Christopher (Tiffany) Kragnes, Ryan Harrington, and Stacia (Matthew) Sytsma; 22 great-grand- children, Jonah, Reid, Olivia, Jalen and Grace Travis, Monet and Tea Dekker; Joseph Patrick and Elon Dekker, Lexy and Levi Backer-Russ, Mia, Abbi and Torii Kowalski, Ali and Jaden Rosenfeldt, Shayla Harrington, Kason, Lane and Lucy Sytsma, and Christopher Allan Jr. and Alicia Kragnes; and several nieces and nephews. Berdelle was preceded in death by her husband, Abner; sister, Esther Horner; and brothers, William and Wayne Huebner.

Visitation will be Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, from 5 to 7 PM with a prayer service at 6 PM, Korsmo Funeral Chapel, Moorhead.

Funeral service Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, at 3 PM, Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead.

Burial at Moorhead Memorial Gardens.