Florence H. Nehrenberg Anderson, 91, Minot, and formerly of the Bergen area, died Tuesday, March 20, 2007 in a Minot Healthcare Center.

Florence was born June 17, 1915, the youngest of ten children to Lars and Anna (Nelson) Helstedt. She was raised on the family farm northeast of Bergen and attended school in the Bergen area. She graduated from Bergen High School and attended Minot State Teacher's College, where she received her standard teaching certificate. She taught for several years near Bergen and liked to tell others how she would go to the school early in the winter mornings to start a fire in the pot belly stove so the classroom would be warm for the students.

In the late 1930's, she met a young man named Delmar D. Nehrenberg from Balfour. He was also a teacher, and after they married, had a son, Gary in 1941. Florence became the mother and housewife, as the family moved to several of Delmar's teaching locations in North and South Dakota. In 1946, Delmar took a position at Ashley, teaching and coaching basketball and football. In 1948, he was hired at Bergen to teach high school. They enjoyed being back amongst family at Bergen. After a few years of teaching there, he took a job in Minot with Fargo Paint and Glass. In 1952, the family moved to Grand Forks, where he was employed with Central Lumber and later with Rydell Chevrolet.

Shortly after Gary moved to California, Delmar died on March 4, 1965. Florence continued to make her home in East Grand Forks and rented out a room to a local teacher named Deone Cerny. It was Deone whom introduced her to a bachelor farmer, named Albin Anderson from Argyle, MN. They were married and lived on the Anderson family farm near Argyle. Florence enjoyed getting back to the farm life almost as much as her enjoyment of their frequent fishing trips to Lake of the Woods in Minnesota. They had spent several winters in Mesa, AZ amongst friends.

Meanwhile Gary had met and married Elizabeth in California. Florence and Albin became outstanding grandparents to Betty and Delmar, who were born in 1970 and 1972. The California Nehrenbergs managed to spend many summer vacations on the farm in Minnesota, giving Florence ample opportunity to spoil the grandkids.

In 1993, Albin died after a short illness. Florence then returned to Minot to live with her sister, Fern. They lived together for several years until medical difficulties forced them to live apart. Even then, they felt close.

Her loving family includes : Son: Gary (Liz) Nehrenberg, Los Alamitos, CA; Grandchildren: Betty Nehrenberg, Long Beach, CA; Delmar (Cory) Nehrenberg, Pacific Palisades, CA, and their children: Austin and Evan Nehrenberg; Sister: Fern Helstedt, Minot.

Florence was preceded in death by her parents, husbands, brothers, Lars, Walter and Rudy and sisters, Ann, Marie, Selma, Myrtle and infant, Anna.

Funeral service : Monday, March 26, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. in Augustana Lutheran Church, Minot
Graveside service : Monday at 1:30pm at the Bergen Cemetery.
Visitation : Sunday from noon-5:00pm in the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials are preferred to Augustana Lutheran Church or the Bergen Cemetery Assn.