Harold Luther Oberg

Harold Luther Oberg, 82, of Wakefield, Nebraska died on Monday, December 3, 2012 at the Wakefield Health Care Center in Wakefield. Funeral services for Harold will be held on Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 10:30 A.M. at Salem Lutheran Church in Wakefield; Pastor Darwin Garton will be officiating. The visitation will be held on Wednesday from 3:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. at the Bressler–Munderloh–Smith Funeral Home in Wakefield. The family will greet friends from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Burial will be in the Wakefield Cemetery. Harold was born on November 28, 1930 to Pete N. Oberg and Hilma Nelson Oberg at the home of Mrs. Ed Paul in Wakefield. Harold lived his entire life around the Wakefield and Wayne area. He attended Rose Hill Country School north of the Oberg family farm and Wakefield High School in Wakefield, Nebraska. On October 28, 1950, he was united in marriage to Patricia Mildred Larsen of Wakefield, by the Reverend Curtis Wiberg at Salem Lutheran Church in Wakefield. To this union three children were born, Dennis Luther, Deborah Lynn and Nancy Lee. Harold was baptized and confirmed at Salem Lutheran Church, he was a lifelong member. He served on the Church Council and was a church usher for many years. He was one of the first Acolytes at Salem, when the program started. He farmed his entire life around Wakefield and Wayne, growing corn, beans and alfalfa. He especially enjoyed raising and working with Hereford Cattle. While vacationing one year in Cody, Wyoming, he randomly stopped at a ranch, becoming life-long friends with the rancher. Many times over the years, he and Pat traveled to the ranch for visits, where he would ride horse back with the rancher herding cattle in the mountains. He went to many cattle sales in his life, with Winner, South Dakota and Thedford, Nebraska being favorite places of his to buy cattle. When he retired from faming and moved into town, he began driving truck, hauling soybean meal to Big Red Farms in Wakefield from Cargill in Sioux City, Iowa. He also hauled new Wilson Trailers from Yankton, South Dakota to Grand Island, Nebraska. Being a farmer his entire life, he did not have hobbies. Farming was full time! So he enjoyed his years trucking. He was also sought out by several farmers wanting his help a planting time. This got him back on the farm which he loved. Harold loved music. As a High School student, he played Baritone in the school band. He thoroughly enjoyed dancing at his granddaughter’s wedding, and he was always dancing a jig around the house. Harold was a very generous, kindhearted person and was always willing to help anyone. He loved his family and enjoyed traveling with Pat to his children’s homes. His grandchildren were an important part of his life and the time spent with them was special. For their 40th wedding anniversary, Harold and Pat spent three months in Africa with his sister Esther Oberg, immersing themselves in her life. They visited several other countries while on their trip traveling to and from Africa. This was a trip of a lifetime that they recalled fondly many times throughout the years. Harold is survived by his wife Pat, children: Dennis (Deb) Oberg of Norfolk, Nebraska; Deborah (Joe) Braden of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Nancy (Wayne) Bressler of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and grandchildren Justin Braden of Arlington, Virginia; Bridget Braden Booth (Anthony) of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Elizabeth Braden of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jeremy Oberg of Norfolk, Nebraska. Also, one sister Esther Oberg of Wakefield and one brother Bob (Gloria) Oberg of Allen, Nebraska and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Pete and Hilma Oberg; brothers Alvin Oberg and Paul Oberg and sisters Helen (Marvin) Muller, Verna (Lorence) Fischer and Edna (Berneal) Gustafson.