On June 2, 2024, Linda Kay Berhow took her last breath after years of struggling with COPD. She had been lovingly cared for by her children preceding this departure and was in the hands of emergency personnel. Her family gathered around her to mourn her leaving. She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents. Linda was loved by so many, and will be missed immensely. May her unique and sparkly spirit continue to inspire us. 
Linda Kay Erlandson was born May 7, 1958, in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Orton and Mary (Ingebretson) Erlandson. Shortly after her birth, the family moved back to the rural Fertile/Erskine area, where they later welcomed her brother Craig. Linda grew up playing, swimming, biking, and adventuring with her cherished lifelong friends as well as relatives from Michigan. At age 14, Linda lost her mother to glioblastoma and was thereafter raised by her father. She had an abiding love for her parents, as well as the various aunts, uncles, and cousins that she grew up with, and was grateful for the abundant family and friends who provided her fellowship and support.
Upon graduation from Fertile-Beltrami High School in 1976, she attended Northland Community Technical College, where she earned her Associates Degree in Secretarial Training. In 1978, her father helped get her a job at Garden Valley Telephone Company in Erskine, where she happily worked for 37 years. While employed, she took pleasure in biannual visits to Asheville, North Carolina, for work training. The community of people there gifted her a meaningful sense of belonging and value while deep friendships were forged. Always game for pranks and laughs, neck rubs and camaraderie, Linda delighted in her Garden Valley coworkers, and happily continued to meet with them at annual dinners and for retiree lunches.
There are far too many friends to name, as her gracious spirit, sense of humor, wit, and lighthearted sparkle was cherished by many.
On August 23, 1980, Dale Berhow and Linda were married. They went on to have a daughter, Claire. After moving to Union Lake, they expanded the family to include Jorgen, Oliver, and Gunnar. Linda unflappably endured years of pet snakes, frogs, lizards, rats, hamsters, rabbits, cats, and dogs. She supported her childrens’ wide interests and attended countless plays, dance recitals, sports events, and demo, baja and ice races. Welcoming to her children’s friends, Linda facilitated fun by providing such things as fantastic dress up outfits, interesting toys, shopping trips, and water park adventures. She always reassured her children that she loved them all equally, and provided tireless efforts to help organize and ensure their success. Proudly she shared about her children, and those who knew her recognized her unwavering love for them.
With the arrival of Claire’s son Ember in 2015, Linda became a grandma. She relished the role and her love continued to expand with the birth of Gunnar and Amber’s daughter Cora in 2021, and then baby Dale, son of Oliver and Amanda, in April 2024. Her joy in being a grandma was apparent in her loving time spent reading to, cuddling, and playing with her grandkids. Her fur babies were sources of comfort, most notably her past pups Ruby, Panties, as well as the one who stuck by her side until her last day, Ralphie.
She was passionately proud of her Scandinavian heritage and held an abiding love for the relatives she grew up with and kept in contact with throughout her entire life, so Linda delighted in the opportunity to visit relatives in Norway. She also enjoyed trips to Michigan, Tennessee, Oregon, California, Hawaii and St. Croix. She appreciated experiencing new places, as well as returning to familiar ones.
Linda was a lover of thunderstorms, the color green, Red Lobster, gift giving, laughing, time with friends, fashionable clothing, fun decor, things unique and macabre and spooky, shopping at cool boutiques, relatives, family history, photography, and Scandinavian anything (except lutefisk).
Linda made friends wherever she went, such was her sparkly, bubbly spirit. Linda was one of the most kind, generous, thoughtful, unique, and loving people imaginable. Despite her declining health, she worked to keep track of everyone’s birthdays and important dates and always helped people feel appreciated and liked for who they are. For all of her forever friends (you know who you are), to know her was to love her and to be loved by her. She enjoyed having fun and finding ways to laugh, happy to pull pranks and be silly. She was always vibrant and fashionable. She had amazing, wild dreams. She was cherished by so many, and will be deeply, profoundly missed. Linda would hope that we all try to be kind to each other and enjoy the time that we have.
She is survived by her husband, Dale, her children, Claire, Jorgen, Oliver and Gunnar, her grandchildren, Ember, Cora and Dale Robert, her brother, Craig, and many cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents.
Blessed be the memory of Linda Kay Berhow.
Celebration of Life Service: 11:00 AM, Saturday, June 22, 2024, at Maple Lake Lutheran Church, Rural Fertile, MN.
Visitation: One hour before the service at the church.
Inurnment: Maple Lake Lutheran Cemetery, Rural Fertile, MN.
Please view our guestbook and share condolences online at www.eriksonvikfh.com
Arrangements with Erikson-Vik-Ganje Funeral Home
Fertile, Minnesota
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