Erling Berge's Obituary
Erling Berge, 97, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2025, in Puyallup, Washington. He was born on June 18, 1928, in Strandvik, Norway, to Henrik and Cecilia Berge. Erling was the youngest of ten children and grew up on the family's Berge farm in Lukksund, nestled in a beautiful, remote area overlooking the Bjornafjorden waterway.
Around the age of 15, Erling began working on a sardine fishing boat, a job he held for four summers. As the youngest crew member, he often spent long hours rowing a smaller boat while searching for sardines. In 1946, he enrolled in a vocational school in Sunde, where he studied furniture design and woodcarving-skills that would later shape his lifelong career.
During this time, Erling developed a love for dancing and regularly attended local dances. It was at one of these events that he met his future wife, Gullaug, who had recently moved to nearby Kaldestad. Erling later recalled being drawn to a pretty young girl with beautiful, dark, shiny hair sitting in front of him. Gullaug, only 15 years old at the time, was quite shy and could barely look up at him, but Erling eventually won her attention and brought her onto the dance floor.
Four years later, on July 1, 1950, they were married.
Gullaug's mother, Ingeborg, who was living in Tacoma, Washington, invited the young family to visit. On March 22, 1953, Erling, Gullaug, and their daughter Sissel boarded the SS Stavangerjjord, traveling from Norway to New York and then on to Tacoma. Later that year, Erling began working at Tacoma Millwork, which later became Monitor Products, a local cabinet manufacturing company. He became a United States citizen in 1958.
While at Monitor Products, an internal company profile praised Erling's exceptional talent and creativity, noting his artistry in wood carving and church pew construction, as well as his innovative work in developing specialized production methods and machinery as the company evolved. Much of the machinery used in the factory's unique manufacturing process was designed-and in many cases built-by Erling himself. His inventive abilities were described as a major factor in the company's success. His official title was Research and Development - Plant Engineer, though his coworkers fondly referred to him as the "resident genius."
Erling and Gullaug went on to have three more children: Ruth, Susan, and Paul. They built a home and settled in Midland, near Tacoma, where they raised their family. Gullaug passed away on June 9, 2017, at the age of 86.
A year or two later, Erling met Lois Marvin, who had also lost her husband. Their meeting was a blessing to both, and they formed a close and cherished friendship. Erling always looked forward to spending time with Lois, and their companionship brought joy and energy into his later years. He especially loved that they could go dancing together. The family extends heartfelt thanks to Lois for the friendship and happiness she shared with Erling.
As Erling aged, he often said, "You need to take it one day at a time." He was deeply loved by his family and will be greatly missed. Both Erling and Gullaug were a true blessing to their children.
Erling is survived by his children Sissel Sandell (Carl), Ruth Berge, Susan Tallungan (Mario), and Paul Berge (Laura); eight grandchildren-Jessica Horton, Julie Horton, Angela Brink,
Caitlin Tallungan, Nicole Roy (Christian), Michael Berge, Karoline Hernandez (Elvin), and Kailey Berge-and one great-grandchild, Brielle Michel.
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