Stanley Elmo Bjorneberg

Stanley Elmo Bjorneberg, of Garretson, 85, died December 1, 2007, at the Minnesota Veteran's Home in Luverne. Memorial services will begin at 2:00 P.M. Friday, December 7, 2007 at the Palisade Lutheran Church, rural Rock County, Minnesota with committal preceding the service at 1:00 P.M. at the West Palisade Lutheran Cemetery, Rock County, Minnesota. Visitation will begin at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, with the family present from 4:00-6:00 P.M. at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson.

His family and friends knew him as a hard working farmer, but Stanley had also served his country proudly at the end of World War II.

Stanley was born to Gustav H. and Dorothea (Grottveit) Bjorneberg on January 29, 1922, west of Hudson, SD. He was the third of five children. The family lived on several different farms near Norway Center, Canton and Beresford.

Stanley attended Highland Grade School and Canton High School. He stayed home one year after eighth grade to help farm, but went back to school and graduated from Beresford High School in May 1941.

He farmed with his father until March 29, 1945 when he entered the U.S. Marine Corps at St. Paul, Minn. He attended boot camp at Paris Island, SC, and was stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC.; Camp Pendleton, CA.; and Pearl Harbor, HI. He served in Guam and China as military policeman, before being honorably discharged on October 6, 1946.

He and Viola Carlson were married on October 27, 1956 at Beaver Valley Lutheran Church near Valley Springs. Stanley didn't want to have a big to-do but was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable that reception was. That joy was felt again when the family gathered to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

They lived at a farm 3.5 miles from Stanley's parents and during the blizzards of 1962, he walked back and forth between the farms to do chores and to bring milk for his family. Stanley and Viola purchased her family's farm near Garretson in 1966 where they farmed and raised their three children. Stanley enjoyed bowling, fishing, and hunting.

The family joined Palisade Lutheran Church, near Garretson, in 1967 and Stanley was an active member both in his presence and quiet leadership.

Stanley's parents came to the United States from Norway and Stanley inherited an immigrants' drive to work hard. Whether he was digging a hole or scooping corn all day, he worked steadily until the work was done. As one of his brothers once said, "he was a guy who finished a job."

Stanley was a humble man who could always be counted on by his friends and family. He never sought recognition and preferred to work quietly and find his reward in a job well done.

Stanley had a passion for farming and continued to do what he loved until and beyond when he was no longer physically able to do so.

Stanley was diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy in his early 80’s and moved to the Minnesota Veteran's Home in March 2006.

Stanley is survived by his wife, Viola; children Ruth Bjorneberg, Garretson, Mark (Lisa) Bjorneberg, Garretson, and David (Cindy) Bjorneberg, Hansen, Idaho; grandchildren Eric, Alice, Mari and Matthew. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Kerwin Ulrickson, Canton, and sister-in-law Caroline Bjorneberg, Canton, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Jeannette Ulrickson, and brothers Harold, Grant and Robert.