On Monday, March 8, 2021, Irene Mae Bergesen, loving mother and grandmother, passed away at the age of 91. Irene was born on July 25, 1929 to Johanna and Karl Bergesen in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She moved to Vaksdal, Norway with her parents and her brother, Clarence, at the age of 2. She was a resilient soul - enduring the Great Depression and the occupation of Norway during the Second World War. She returned to the United States in 1948, where she married Anton Knutsen in 1956. They raised one son, Jan Erik Knutsen.
Irene was a homemaker and worked in the Minneapolis Public Schools as an aide. Later in life, she became a beloved nanny to numerous families, caring for their children as her own. In particular, she worked for Dr. David and Susan Plimpton for many years, helping to raise their children Ben and Nick and they remained close family friends for the rest of her life. She loved a good cup of coffee and having lively conversations with close friends. She loved to discuss politics and was not bashful about expressing her opinions. She was proud of her Norwegian heritage and maintained her connections to friends and family in Norway, returning many times. She loved animals, children, and spending time at the cabin her parents built on Loon Lake. She loved to travel but was always happy to return to her home in the Wedge neighborhood of Minneapolis where she was a resident for 60 years. She traveled in a large social circle and was an empathetic friend and a trusted confidant. She had a great sense of humor and routinely dispensed simple pearls of wisdom.
Irene was preceded in death by her mother, Johanna, her father, Karl, and her brother, Clarence. She is survived by her son, Jan, his wife, Vicki, and her 2 grandchildren, Kaia and Kell. She is also survived by her niece and nephew (and their spouses): Karen (Bob) and their son Evan (Breann); and Steve (Sue) and their children, Alisa (Dan) and Kyle.
A memorial ceremony to honor her life will take place at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel later this Fall.
Published on March 21, 2021 in the Minneapolis StarTribune.
Irene was a homemaker and worked in the Minneapolis Public Schools as an aide. Later in life, she became a beloved nanny to numerous families, caring for their children as her own. In particular, she worked for Dr. David and Susan Plimpton for many years, helping to raise their children Ben and Nick and they remained close family friends for the rest of her life. She loved a good cup of coffee and having lively conversations with close friends. She loved to discuss politics and was not bashful about expressing her opinions. She was proud of her Norwegian heritage and maintained her connections to friends and family in Norway, returning many times. She loved animals, children, and spending time at the cabin her parents built on Loon Lake. She loved to travel but was always happy to return to her home in the Wedge neighborhood of Minneapolis where she was a resident for 60 years. She traveled in a large social circle and was an empathetic friend and a trusted confidant. She had a great sense of humor and routinely dispensed simple pearls of wisdom.
Irene was preceded in death by her mother, Johanna, her father, Karl, and her brother, Clarence. She is survived by her son, Jan, his wife, Vicki, and her 2 grandchildren, Kaia and Kell. She is also survived by her niece and nephew (and their spouses): Karen (Bob) and their son Evan (Breann); and Steve (Sue) and their children, Alisa (Dan) and Kyle.
A memorial ceremony to honor her life will take place at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel later this Fall.
Published on March 21, 2021 in the Minneapolis StarTribune.
On Monday, March 8, 2021, Irene Mae Bergesen, loving mother and grandmother, passed away at the age of 91. Irene was born on July 25, 1929 to Johanna and Karl Bergesen in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She moved to Vaksdal, Norway with her parents and her brother, Clarence, at the age of 2. She was a resilient soul - enduring the Great Depression and the occupation of Norway during the Second World War. She returned to the United States in 1948, where she married Anton Knutsen in 1956. They raised one son, Jan Erik Knutsen.
Irene was a homemaker and worked in the Minneapolis Public Schools as an aide. Later in life, she became a beloved nanny to numerous families, caring for their children as her own. In particular, she worked for Dr. David and Susan Plimpton for many years, helping to raise their children Ben and Nick and they remained close family friends for the rest of her life. She loved a good cup of coffee and having lively conversations with close friends. She loved to discuss politics and was not bashful about expressing her opinions. She was proud of her Norwegian heritage and maintained her connections to friends and family in Norway, returning many times. She loved animals, children, and spending time at the cabin her parents built on Loon Lake. She loved to travel but was always happy to return to her home in the Wedge neighborhood of Minneapolis where she was a resident for 60 years. She traveled in a large social circle and was an empathetic friend and a trusted confidant. She had a great sense of humor and routinely dispensed simple pearls of wisdom.
Irene was preceded in death by her mother, Johanna, her father, Karl, and her brother, Clarence. She is survived by her son, Jan, his wife, Vicki, and her 2 grandchildren, Kaia and Kell. She is also survived by her niece and nephew (and their spouses): Karen (Bob) and their son Evan (Breann); and Steve (Sue) and their children, Alisa (Dan) and Kyle.
A memorial ceremony to honor her life will take place at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel later this Fall.
Published on March 21, 2021 in the Minneapolis StarTribune.
Irene was a homemaker and worked in the Minneapolis Public Schools as an aide. Later in life, she became a beloved nanny to numerous families, caring for their children as her own. In particular, she worked for Dr. David and Susan Plimpton for many years, helping to raise their children Ben and Nick and they remained close family friends for the rest of her life. She loved a good cup of coffee and having lively conversations with close friends. She loved to discuss politics and was not bashful about expressing her opinions. She was proud of her Norwegian heritage and maintained her connections to friends and family in Norway, returning many times. She loved animals, children, and spending time at the cabin her parents built on Loon Lake. She loved to travel but was always happy to return to her home in the Wedge neighborhood of Minneapolis where she was a resident for 60 years. She traveled in a large social circle and was an empathetic friend and a trusted confidant. She had a great sense of humor and routinely dispensed simple pearls of wisdom.
Irene was preceded in death by her mother, Johanna, her father, Karl, and her brother, Clarence. She is survived by her son, Jan, his wife, Vicki, and her 2 grandchildren, Kaia and Kell. She is also survived by her niece and nephew (and their spouses): Karen (Bob) and their son Evan (Breann); and Steve (Sue) and their children, Alisa (Dan) and Kyle.
A memorial ceremony to honor her life will take place at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel later this Fall.
Published on March 21, 2021 in the Minneapolis StarTribune.
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