Clemmet Bergh

Clemmet Marcellus Bergh died at the Friendship Retirement Home in Westby, Wisconsin on Sunday, January 26, 2014. He was born August 25, 1937 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to Archie and Hazel (Rudrud) Bergh. The first of two children, Clem lived in Westby until the family moved to a farm east of Westby when he was about four years old. He began grade school in Gilbertson School and later attended school in Bloomingdale with his sister Genevieve. They transferred to Clockmaker School when the family moved into that school district. Tragically, Genevieve passed away suddenly June 28, 1949 at age 11 from an inoperable brain tumor. Through his teen years and early adulthood Clem was an avid fisherman and hunter of small game. Eventually, radio became his choice of entertainment and he had favorite programs that were daily fare and held his interest thereafter. Clem had a gift of profound simplicity that all could learn from. His pleasure in life was in experiencing the beauty of our region. He walked all the hills and valleys around Westby since his youth. He took pride in ownership of vehicles from a succession of red pickup trucks to his large collection of model tractors. In recent years his sense of adventure was fulfilled by riding his quadracycle flat out down the local hills, or pedaling in and around the streets bordering Friendship, where he has lived since 2000. Clemmet Bergh was preceded in death by his parents; and sister; uncles, aunts, and a group of extended cousins. He is survived by one uncle, Blaine (Carol) Rudrud of Westby; four aunts: Inez (Elwood) Rickman of Portland Oregon, Alice Alderman of Madison, Beverly Rudrud of Onalaska and Laurie Rudrud of La Crosse; and cousins. He will also be missed by his community of friends at Friendship and in the surrounding area and by the extended American families in the Bergh, Stigen, Rudrud and Mortenson lineages and by his 5th cousin, Olav Berg, of Berg farm in Norway. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2014 at the Vosseteig Funeral Home, 708 S. Main St. (Hwy 14 S.) in Westby. Pastor Julie Wollman will officiate with burial at a later date in the Coon Prairie Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 12:00 noon until time of service on Friday. The Vosseteig funeral home of Westby is serving the family.