Life is a gift. I celebrated turning 50 earlier this year. I have seen a great deal of change in the mere five decades I have been alive. My son, Alex, recently turned 30 and that made me feel my age.
I cannot imagine all the change people in their late 80’s and 90’s have experienced. I really enjoy visiting with senior citizens and feel they have so much knowledge. I often wish I could open the top of their heads and take a peek inside! Since that is not a reasonable option, I enjoy visiting with them about days gone by. I sat down for such a visit a few weeks ago with Roland Bergstrom. Our families have been friends for as long as I can remember. He has an infectious smile and his joy is contagious.
Roland was born Dec. 13, 1929 north of Santiago. He was one of 13 children born to Hjalmer and Helen Bergstrom. Roland will celebrate his 90th birthday this week! Roland grew up helping his father on the family farm, including milking Holstein cows. Roland’s family celebrated his birthday and Christmas in December, and he recalled how they would make potato sausage when they got together.
Roland was in the U.S. Marines and served in the Korean War in the early 1950’s. He also served as a rifle coach for seven months. He is humble about his accomplishments, which include earning a Purple Heart. Roland was featured (along with a horse he rode) in a book about the Korean War called ‘They called her Reckless’. They would strap ammunition to the horse and send it into combat. When I asked him about his time in Korea, Roland told me: “I prayed every day and wrote letters often.
I asked Roland how he met his wife (Myrtle Jenson). He told me he met her while they were threshing grain. While taking a break, one offered the other a stick of gum. The pair started dating and later married - Sept. 26, 1953. Roland and Myrtle lived on Myrtle’s family (Jenson) farm for 12 years and farmed. The couple raised five children: Carol, Marge, Bruce, Kenneth and Lana.
Roland and Myrtle Bergstrom’s families both could be considered central Minnesota music royalty. Myrtle’s family had a group called ‘The Singing Jensons’. Roland and Myrtle sang for many years starting in the early 1950’s with a group called Masters Messengers. The group recorded two albums (the second record was recorded in 1976). They were also part of a weekly radio show. our mom bought a record of Masters Messengers’ the Christmas of 1964.
Roland and Myrtle have served as field missionaries, pastored at several different churches and orchestrated multiple church plants in their lives. They felt called by the Lord to minister at a Bible School in Wisconsin, so they had an auction sale with Morris Henry in Foley in 1966 and sold everything they owned. My dad bought their green Chevy farm pickup. The couple picked up and moved their young family, including their five children and chihuahua doggy.
Roland and Myrtle raised their family and served in a variety of places over the years. They studied the Bible in Walkinshaw, Wisconsin, followed by time spent with Roland serving as a pastor at Westgate Church near Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Roland also drove bus for Wisconsin Coach Lines for a time. The family then moved to the Brainerd area and served for five years as Directors of Camp Jim, followed by a transfer to Camp Joy on Star Lake near Fergus Falls. Roland and Myrtle juggled family life and also provided services to three nursing home services. Their children helped provide music and sang with their parents.
Roland and Myrtle retired in 1990 and moved back home - to their roots - near Santiago. The couple were not idle long, as Roland worked to refurbish Glendorado Country Church. Roland, along with local residents Gordon Brausen and Stephen Erickson (my brother), worked restoring the church so it could re-open. Roland served as pastor from 1990 through 1993.
Roland and Myrtle still share their gift of music. At my request, the couple recently shared a special song at Snake River Free Church. What a gift to still use your musical talents to bless others in your golden years.
