Virginia Berger, 73 of Carroll, died Saturday evening, March 8, 2014 at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Schott, assisted by Deacon Bob Lenz. Con-Celebrants will be: Fr. Richard Remmes and Fr. Timothy Johnson. Mass Servers will be Virginia’s grandchildren: Peter Lenz, Lily Del Chiaro, and Josh Wordekemper. Music will be by Marcy Anderson and the St. Lawrence Choir. Lector for the funeral mass will be Virginia’s son-in-law, Garrett Hill. Gift Bearers will be Virginia’s granddaughters. Honorary Casket Bearers will be Virginia’s grandsons’, Roger Hill and Johnny Lenz. Casket Bearers will be Virginia’s grandsons’: Darren Berger, Jeremy Riesselman, Eric Riesselman, Jacob Wordekemper, Lucca Del Chiaro, Danny Wordekemper, and Tommy Lenz. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 5 p.m. on Tuesday where there will be a rosary at 5:30 p.m. and a Christian Wake Service at 7 p.m.
The casket will be moved to St. Lawrence Church at 9 a.m. on Wednesday where visitation will resume until time of the funeral mass.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Virginia’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Born on May 11, 1940, near Viola Center, Virginia Arlene was the daughter of George and Ruth (Morlan) Carpenter. She attended Viola Consolidated Schools and later graduated from Coon Rapids High School with the Class of 1958.
On July 26, 1958 she married Raymond Berger at Annunciation Catholic Church in Coon Rapids, Iowa. Virginia was a devoted housewife while her husband farmed in the Coon Rapids, Glidden, Lidderdale and Vail areas. In 1994, Ray and Virginia moved to Carroll. In addition to raising their twelve children, Virginia worked at St. Anthony Hospital and Kuemper Catholic Schools.
She loved baking, cooking, and hosting gatherings at her home; whether for her family, her many friends, or several of the priests in the area. Virginia also enjoyed golfing, trips to the casino, rooting for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and the boys; her dogs Max and Raymie. Virginia was a member of St. Lawrence Parish in Carroll.
Survivors include her children: Dale (Cindy) Berger of Humboldt, Mary (John) Riesselman of Halbur, Don Berger of Carroll, Lisa (Dean) Wordekemper of Carroll, Ann (Doug) Lenz of Omaha, NE, David Berger of Costa Rica, Deb (Dr. Steve) Del Chiaro of Burlingame, CA, Sara (Jerry) Wordekemper of West Point, NE, Dan (Erin) Berger of Minburn, Monica Berger of Thornton, CO, Joan (Dr. Michael) Christensen of Bridgeport, NE, and Emily (Garrett) Hill of West Des Moines; 23 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; her siblings: Marie (Denis) Leiting of Carroll, Bill (Rosie) Carpenter of Chariton, Carol Richards of Coon Rapids, and Sandra (Bob) Burns of Vancouver, WA; her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Marilyn Carpenter of Coon Rapids, Bernice Bluml of Carroll, Frances (Albert “Elvis”) Meiners of Coon Rapids, Edmund “Butch” (LaVonne) Berger of Lidderdale, and Dorothy Berger of Lohrville; and Marianne (Rick) Post of Algona; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other extended relatives.
Virginia was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Raymond in July 2008; her grandson, Adam Andrew Riesselman; and her brother, Gary Carpenter.
