Marion Bergs

Marion Jane Heaton’s early years were spent in Clearwater, MN, where she was born on October 11, 1932, to Mildred (Watts) and James Heaton.  She and her four siblings lost their father on October 13, 1939, leaving her mother to raise five young children and run the family farm.  Times were tough, especially for a girl who really hated animals. Marion met John on a country road while she was out for a walk with a friend at age 15, and that was it for farm life!

Marion married John Bergs on February 26, 1949, at age 16.  She worked as a waitress to put John through college.  He often joked that she had a PHT degree (Put Hubby Through). She and John, a newly minted pharmacist, moved to Clarissa, MN in 1954 , where they had purchased Clarissa Drug.  They raised four children, Brenda, Bonnie, Bruce, and Brian, and became very involved members of the community.  John’s diary is filled with anecdotes of how busy she was - anyone who knew her knew that sitting still was not in her wheelhouse. Marion, with her 10th-grade education, was a keen businesswoman.  John filled prescriptions, while she managed the store and helped with deliveries.  They built a home in 1966 just off main street, which was a family project. They also built a new store in 1986, which was a proud achievement and still operates as a pharmacy today.  After they sold the drugstore, they were able to travel enjoying time on the Farmers Union bus as it crisscrossed the USA. The bus was driven by Lyle Heaton, Marion’s brother.  They also enjoyed twosome travel to visit snowbird relatives and friends.

John died of lung cancer in 2006, and Marion decided to move to Alexandria.  She loved living in that community too; she lived first at the Arabella Manor, and then at the Senator.  She busied herself with making new friends, decorating her new homes, and joined Calvary Lutheran Church, serving for a term on the church council.

She was so proud of her family.  She loved every minute of family gatherings and would talk about how happy they made her for days.  We will remember her always, but especially when we have really hard chocolate chip cookies pulled from the fridge, play 500, and run a finger along a shelf to check for dust.

She developed Alzheimer’s symptoms and was diagnosed in 2018.  She eventually moved to Grand Arbor in Alexandria, where she passed away on November 6, 2021 after being infected with Covid.

She is preceded in death by her husband, John; as well as brothers, Lyle and Curtis; sister, Alice; and her parents.

She is survived by her children Brenda (Dave) Velde, Bonnie (Don) Morcomb, Bruce Bergs, and Brian (Paula) Bergs; her grandchildren, Kirsten, Nick, Liz, Craig, Corrine, Katie, Laura, Courtney, and Erik; great-grandchildren, Shelby, Emma, Spencer, James, Sam, Victoria, Tegan, Rowan, Soren, Finan, Bailey, Kayla, Cody, Grace, Amelia, Jackson, Nathan, Bennett, and Aurora (Orie); and sister, Joyce (Roger) Pierson.

We thank the Grand Arbor staff for the wonderful care she received.  A special thank you to Shannon for the extra love she gave Mom as her Case Manager.

A Funeral Service will be held 11:00 AM on Friday, November 19, 2021, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Alexandria.  Visitation will be held from 4-7 PM on Thursday, November 18, 2021, at the Anderson Funeral Home and for one hour prior to the service at the church.

A live stream and recording of the service will be available 11:00 AM on Friday, November 19, 2021, on the funeral home website.

To protect the safety of all, masks will be required.