Fred Bergstrom

 Fred Bergstrom, 89 passed away at Logan Health Extended Care, Conrad, on Sunday, September 10, 2023.  He was born January 15, 1934 in Conrad to David and Margaret McLean Bergstrom. He had three younger siblings, Velma, Evelyn, and Glenn.  He grew up on the family farm east of Brady.  He attended the Strauss School for the first seven years and Brady elementary for one year.  Then he attended Conrad High School, graduating in 1952.

 On November 28, 1953 he married Shirley Snortland and later they divorced.  Together they raised four children: Janice, Howard, Carolyn, and John on the family farm. 

Fred Bergstrom raised cattle and started raising hogs in confinement in 1960.  The farrowing barn could accommodate 120 sows at a time and the covered feedlot finished 2000 market pigs a year.  An early morning electrical fire in September of 2000 totally destroyed the farrowing barn.  That was the beginning of the end of the hog operation.

 Fred raised cattle for many years.  At one time he raised Pinzgauer cattle. There were many stories and reminiscences of the cattle roundups in the Livermore Creek area of the Blackfeet Reservation with the roundup crew of Brady friends.

Fred incorporated the farm into Bergstrom Farms, Inc. in 1967.  His two sons and grandson continue operating the farm.

Fred loved to customize farm equipment.  Whatever machinery he bought, he’d design modifications and his good buddies Forest Long and Skip West would be able to follow his vision and build it to his specifications.  He truly was a farm machinery innovator.

He was an active member in the Montana Pork Producers, being named the National 1972 Pork All American from Montana.  He was also a member of the Montana Farm Bureau, and Montana Grain Growers.  In 1968 he was named Outstanding Conservationist by the Pondera County Conservation District.

 Fred Bergstrom was one of the initial members of the Tiber Water committee in 1972.  He continued to serve on the Tiber Water Board for the rest of his life.

 When his kids were growing up, Fred helped with Boys Scouts, 4-H, and FFA.  He particularly enjoyed helping with Boy Scout camping trips at Benchmark.  Fred loved to downhill ski. He happily acquired a collection of secondhand skies and took all five of his grandkids and their mothers to Teton Pass many times to learn to ski.  

Fred Bergstrom was preceded in death by his parents David and Margaret Bergstrom; sister Velma Strandberg, brother-in-law Keith Strandberg; and dear friends Forest Long, Skip West, and Richard Kauk, Sr..

 Fred is survived by his wife, Edna Clark Bergstrom; his first wife, Shirley Bergstrom Stordahl; children, Janice (Jeff) Farkell, Howard (Julie) Bergstrom, Carolyn (Dave) Bakker, and John Bergstrom; sister, Evelyn Bergstrom, brother, Glenn Bergstrom; grandchildren, Jessica Bergstrom, Joel (Kody) Farkell, Mark (Rachelle) Bergstrom, Anna (Travis) Walter, and Kelli (Nels) Oksendahl; great grandchildren, Evan, Noah, and Caleb Walter, Jaidyn and Kendra Farkell, Isaiah, Aliya, and Sophia Bergstrom, Carter and Genevieve Oksensdahl; step children, Jim (Cheryl) Marquart, Kevin Koehmstedt, Mike Marquart, and Carol Marquart Cowan; step grandchildren and great grandchildren of Edna’s family; and special friends, Denny Lenoir, Jim Edwards, and Ray Stoetzel.

 Memorials are suggested to the First Presbyterian Church of Conrad, Conrad FFA, Pondera Co. 4-H or a charity of the donor’s choosing.

 Graveside service will be held Thursday, September 21, at 2pm at Hillside Cemetery.