Lola and Sidney Berg met at Central Lutheran and were married there in 1966 during Holy Week.
Sid earned a Master’s Degree in Library Science and Master’s Degree in Audio Visual at the University of Oklahoma. Sid worked as head librarian of the Stewartville schools. Following his work in schools, Sid was employed in sales.
Lola received a Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Oklahoma, and a Master’s Degree at Winona State. She was on the staff at Central Lutheran as secretary to Senior Pastors Wee and Gornitzka, and also served as the Volunteer Services Director. Later in her career, Lola was a social worker, serving at good Samaritan Care Centers in the Southwest and Midwest United States until the age of 84.
They both were active in Augsburg University Alumni programs and campus activities. Sid’s love of music was reflected in his singing at Augsburg, where he graduated in 1957, in the Augsburg University Choir, and for many years sang in Central Lutheran’s choir and the Augsburg Centennial Singers.
Sid and Lola played an active role in making the emergent Milwaukee Avenue Historic District a place where homeowners became close neighbors. Sid and Lola then moved to Nicollet Island and took on another historic house restoration. They later moved to the nearby Pillsbury A Mill Artist’s Lofts.
Lola has many friends from both her previous neighborhoods where they restored older houses, on Milwaukee Avenue in Minneapolis and on Nicollet Island, and from Central Lutheran, where she is active with OWLS and the contemplative prayer group. She is formerly a member of the usher team, home visitation for shut ins, and taught Sunday School as well.
Sidney died May 29, 2018. Lola and Sid have had Central Lutheran Church Foundation in their will for the last ten years and recently notified us, becoming Legacy Partners when they received a letter of invitation from the Foundation.
The Central Lutheran Church Foundation is grateful to Sid and Lola for their many years of friendship and service, and faithful dedication to Central Lutheran Church’s future.
