Leah was born on January 19, 1923, in Waseca County, Minnesota, the daughter of Cyrus and Ollie (Hogenkamp) Routh. She was united in marriage to Harlan Berg on June 12, 1940, in northern Iowa, sharing more than 73 years before Harlan died in 2013. Leah and Harlan made their life on a farm near New Richland, where they raised their family and she worked beside him. She also worked at EF Johnson in Waseca for more than 15 years. She was a member of the First Congregational Church in New Richland where she had been active with the church women’s group. Throughout their life Leah and Harlan enjoyed dancing at the Eagle’s Club, camping, and wintering in Arizona for more than 20 years. They retired from farming in 1984, moved to Hartland and then in 2008 moved to New Richland. Leah died peacefully on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at the New Richland Care Center.
Leah is survived by nine children: Wayne Curtis (Suzanne) Berg of Mesa, AZ, Gary Lee(Lorraine) Berg of Mesa, AZ, Kay LaVonne (Pat) Adams of Owatonna, Rodney Harlan Berg (special friend Pam) of Albert Lea, Neil Robert (Bobbi) Berg of Kirbyville, MO, Larry Dean (Mary) Berg of rural Hartland, Bruce Alan (Patty) Berg of rural New Richland, LaJean Carol (Jim) Westeng of rural Clarks Grove, Burton Dale (Connie) Berg of New Richland; 27 grandchildren; 65 great-grandchildren; 19 great-great-grandchildren; sister: Jean (Keith) Wilkenson of Red Wing, MN, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents Cyrus and Ollie Routh, her husband Harlan in 2013, granddaughter Lynn Newman, great grandson Steven Batt, great granddaughter Etta Mae Ross, grandson-in-law David Shearman, siblings: Mary and her husband Johnnie Walley, Alden Routh and his wife Lilly, Ray Routh and his wife Dorothy, Rex Routh and his wife Annie, Glen Routh and his wife Alma, Floyd Routh and his wife Elsie, father-in-law and mother-in-law William and Esther Berg.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 12 at the First Congregational Church in New Richland. Visitation will be from 3-5 on Saturday at Friedrich/Bonnerup Funeral Home in New Richland. Her final resting place will be St. Olaf Cemetery, New Richland, Minnesota.
In lieu of flowers or plants memorials suggested to the First Congregational Church in New Richland.