Anna Mae Ellenson

Anna Mae Berg was born September 20, 1936 in Starkweather ND, daughter of Christian and Marie (Svidalsnes) Berg. She graduated from Moorhead High School in 1954, from Concordia College, Moorhead, in 1958, and completed course work for a Masters Degree in counseling at NDSU in 1979. She married Edward Ellenson on December 21, 1957. Ann taught at Moorhead Technical Institute from 1966 – 1981, where she developed the Human Relations curriculum. She wrote two textbooks, published by Prentice-Hall in 1973 and 1980. In 1980, she and Ed purchased Fevig Insurance Agency in Moorhead, where they worked together as owners and agents until 1995.

Ann was very active in the Fargo-Moorhead community. She was the first woman to chair the Moorhead Area Chamber of Commerce, served on the Council of Business Advisors for Concordia College, the American Cancer Society Nominating and Recruiting Committee, the Moorhead Human Rights Task Force, the Moorhead Quality of Life Task Force, and chaired the Eventide Foundation Board of Directors. She was co-director of the Stephen Ministry program at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, chaired the Candidacy Committee for the NW Synod of the ELCA, and served 12 years on the Board of Directors for Luther Seminary in St. Paul, where she chaired the Finance and Administrative Committee. She was inducted into the Moorhead High School Hall of Honor in 2010.

In 2001, Ann and Ed moved to their retirement home at Middle Leaf Lake, near Henning, MN. They quickly became involved in their new community and Ann continued her hobbies of gardening, reading, and gourmet cooking. Ann and Ed enjoyed worldwide travels, as well as ten years of traveling in their motor home before making Surprise, AZ their winter home.

Ann was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. One of her greatest joys was building memories with her beloved grandchildren at Middle Leaf Lake. They filled her heart with love, and she adored them all.

She is survived by her husband Ed, two daughters: Elizabeth (Craig) Ordal, North Oaks, MN; Rebecca Ellenson (Steve Cherne), Danbury, WI; six grandchildren: Kristen (Rob) Stroik; Sara Ordal; Peter (Kayse Kruschke) Ellenson-Myers; Cora (Christian) Preston; Kathryn (Vic) Wahl; Kelsey Cherne; one sister, Lois (David) Anderson. Mayville, ND; one sister-in-law, Bette Ludwig Berg, Starkweather, ND; 29 nieces and nephews; and many great nieces and nephews, cousins, and countless friends she considered to be part of her family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Christian and Marie Berg, four brothers: Bjarne, Monrad, Haldor, and Chris Berg; two sisters: Norma Vanderpan, and Carole Engelstad; two brothers-in-law: Leslie Vanderpan, and Clayton Engelstad; two sisters-in-law, Hazel Sager Berg and Hazel Lovdokken Berg; and one niece and one nephew.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Luther Seminary, Concordia College, or Ethos Hospice.
The memorial service will be on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at 10:00 A.M, in The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Moorhead. Masks will be required for all in attendance. The service will be livestreamed and the link will be available on Ann’s obituary page on the funeral home website.
There will be a graveside service and committal on Sunday, September 26, 2021, at 1:00 P.M. in the Norderhaug Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, Henning, MN.