Bergen, Ben H. (1919-2006)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2006 Apr 10 p. 16

Birth date: 1919 Feb 10

text of obituary:

BEN H. BERGEN

Ben H. Bergen, 87, of Goessel, Kan., died March 18, 2006. He was born Feb. 10, 1919, to Peter Henry Bergen and Elizabeth Goertz Bergen in Goessel.

He attended Gordon Grade School and Goessel High School. He was baptized in 1937 upon confession of faith into membership at Goessel Mennonite Church.

At age 25 he served in Civilian Public Service in Colorado Springs, working in the blacksmith shop and helping to build irrigation ditches.

In 1947, he returned to Goessel and joined his father and brother Jake in Bergen Blacksmith Shop building and repairing farm implements, sharpening plowshares and hard facing tilling tools such as cultivating shovels and sharpening discs. He was especially interested in helping his father perfect his ideas on his many inventions. The hog feeder, grain pickup guards and the creation of the vehicle lubricant for springs on cars were among these patented inventions.

After his father’s death in 1960, he and his brother continued to run the blacksmith shop. After Jake’s death in 1989, he continued to live in their home next to the blacksmith shop. His work in the blacksmith shop became less as he cared for his sister, who was blind. He enjoyed sitting on his porch visiting with people who walked by. He loved to recall times of days gone by. He moved to the assisted living unit at Bethesda Home in February 2004.

He is survived by a sister, Susie Schmidt. He was preceded in death by three sisters, Annie Bergen, Tina Schmidt and Mary Reimer; and by a brother, Jake Bergen.

Funeral services were held at Goessel Mennonite Church. Burial was in Goessel Cemetery.