Dorothy Marie Bergum

MOUNT HOREB - Dorothy Marie (Gladem) Bergum passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. She was 98 years old. She was born on May 4, 1924, to Sophia (Crooks) Gladem and Lawrence Gladem in Hollandale, Wis.

After her parents were divorced, Dorothy and her sister, Gladys, moved to Blanchardville with their mother to live with their grandmother, Clarabelle Ihus, and her step-grandpa, Henry Ihus. Her grandma was bedridden most of the time, so the girls had to help with many household chores plus take care of grandma. Sophia did housework for various families in the area, so she was gone most of the day.

Dorothy started kindergarten when she was 5 years old. Grandma wrote a note for her to give the office to enroll her in school. She went to school to enroll and was very happy to be there. Even though Dorothy was only 5 years old, her grandma would write out the grocery list and Dorothy would shop for the family. She did a lot of the cooking and baking with grandma’s instruction. (That’s why she was so good at making her own family delicious food to eat).

When in school she would run home at recess and lunch time to check on grandma. The teachers all understood if she was a little late coming back. She grew up in the 13th ward - no street name or house number. She would pick up their mail at the jail like all the residents on her street.  

Dorothy’s childhood was adventurous. She was queen of the block. The teachers would always send home a bat and ball for the summer for the kids to play. They had enough kids on the block for two teams. She kept the bat and ball on the front porch for others to play if she was busy. She was always the pitcher!!

Her grandma was the town seamstress and with the help of Dorothy and Gladys she would get up to sew at her sewing machine. She made dresses for the women in Blanchardville. When grandma passed away, they found fan pieces of different fabrics that grandma made during the years. Dorothy had the pieces made into a quilt that hung in the hall of her house for many years. The quilt will be with Dorothy forever, as she will be wrapped with the quilt when she is buried.

Growing up stories:

    Dorothy loved to swim in her red bikini that her aunt Eleanor purchased for her.

    Blanche Robb was her best friend in the neighborhood. When the carnival came to town, they each had 25 cents, so they decided to take a ride in the crop duster plane. It was a fantastic ride following the river to Darlington, but her aunt was unhappy with her when they arrived home.

    Blanche and Dorothy borrowed a boat to go up the Pecatonica River. It was a good thing there was a tin can in the boat to toss out the water.

    She loved playing in the lumber on weekends and jumping from pile to pile. Of course, they tipped over the piles, but nothing was ever said to the kids.

    She was caught chewing gum in third grade and the teacher made her sit with gum on her nose all day in class. The same teacher also made her a sandwich every day for lunch.

    In high school, Dorothy would work in the library and also for the teachers after school correcting papers. She loved it and they also paid her a little money.

In 1942, Dorothy married Milo Bergum and moved to Mount Horeb on the family farm where she lived for 80 years. She became an excellent farmer, homemaker, and mother. Farming in the 40s wasn’t easy as they had to save up money to buy machinery to help them farm. Dorothy always saved her “egg” money to help buy special things for inside the house. Dorothy enjoyed bowling, card playing, ceramics and reading. She was a member of the Mount Horeb Evangelical Lutheran Church and member of the Guild and Ladies Aide. She enjoyed making donuts and lefse for the bazaar. The ice cream social was also a fun event.

Dorothy loved to bake. At the holiday time she would make 400 cookies and share with friends and relatives. Linda and Penny always received lots of cookies, so they didn’t have to bake at all. She always enjoyed sharing with others.

Milo and Dorothy enjoyed traveling to Florida, Norway, and Hawaii. After the Hawaii trip they attended the Rose Bowl Game that Wisconsin was playing in at the time. A highlight for both Dorothy and Milo was watching great-grandson, Logan, play hockey since he was 5 years old, traveling to different rinks every weekend, and loving it. Logan is now playing for UWM so traveling to Milwaukee has been fun.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Linda (Ken) Kellogg; granddaughter, Penny Armagost (Christopher); great-grandson, Logan Armagost (friend, Fiona Prechel); and nieces and nephews, Ron (Leah) Bergum, Allan Bergum (friend, Bill Adams), Beverly (Bill) Dlouhy, Julie (Dennis) Garfoot, Sue (Larry Dolgner), and Patti (Al) Aslakson. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Milo Bergum; son, Kendall Bergum; sister, Gladys Wilson; niece, Ardis Bergum Hansen; and nephews, Bob and David Wilson.

See you later Mom, love you.

A funeral service will be held at EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 315 E. Main St., Mount Horeb, at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. Burial will be at Union Cemetery in Mount Horeb. Visitation will be held at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service on Monday. A luncheon will be held at church after the burial.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Camacho Mount Horeb

Funeral & Cremation Care

500 N. Eighth St.

(608) 437-5077