Obituary of Marjorie Berke

BERKE MARJORIE

Marjorie Alice (Jacobsen) Berke, 91, passed away on Wednesday, November 25, 2020, in Austin, MN.  Memorial services will be 1:00 PM, Saturday, September 25, 2021, at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton, SD with Rev. Carl and Jo Watkins officiating.  Live streaming of Marjorie’s service will be available at https://www.facebook.com/opsahlkostel/live.  Burial of her cremated remains will be approximately 3:00 PM, Saturday afternoon at the Bluff View Cemetery, Vermillion, SD.  Online condolences may be sent at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.

She was born September 29, 1929, in Yankton, SD, to Alice (Petran) Jacobsen and Randolph C. Jacobsen. Marge lived most of her life in Yankton and Vermillion, SD. In recent years she resided in Des Moines, IA, and Austin, MN. 

Marge was the eldest of nine children. On August 1st, 1948, she married her sweetheart, Donald James (Jim) Berke of Vermillion, SD. She is survived by their 5 children: Nancy (Terry) Hutchison of Pierre, SD; Barbara (Steve) Girard of Aloha, OR, Daniel (Lisa Pryce) Berke of Des Moines, IA; Mark (Janine Schmitt) Berke of Simpsonville, SC; John (Jessica Furnish) Berke of Austin, MN.  She was a grandmother to 16 and a great grandmother to 17.

Marge is survived by four of her siblings: Margaret Engen of Yankton, SD., Sue (Larry) Good of Sioux Falls, SD; Tom (Jean) Jacobsen of Fayetteville, AR; and Steve (Christine) Jacobsen of Yankton, SD.  She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Marilyn (Berke) Sondgeroth of Sioux City, IA, and 27 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Jim; and four siblings: Bill Jacobsen, Jack Jacobsen; Neacy Powell; and Becky Thunker; one sister-in-law, Kay (Unger) Jacobsen; and two brothers-in-law:  Jim Engen and John Powell. 

Marge lived out a life of faith by selflessly serving her church and her family. She loved flowers, cinnamon rolls, and good conversation. She was an avid reader and loved to write. Marge felt inspired and honored to share her testimony of God’s faithfulness in the words and melody of a song she titled, “I Promise.” 

She was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend, grandmother, and great grandmother, and she was a very special part of our lives. We will miss her tremendously.