Carrie Zeller Bergen

Caroline “Carrie” Zeller Bergen October 6, 1925 – September 12, 2026

Caroline “Carrie” Zeller Bergen passed away on September 12, 2026, just three weeks shy of her 101st birthday. One hundred years is an extraordinary lifetime, and Carrie filled hers with faith, family, service, generosity, and gratitude for the many blessings God had given her.

Carrie was born on October 6, 1925, and raised on a dairy farm in a close-knit family. She was the youngest of five siblings. Their home was often filled with neighbors, friends, dinners, and dances. From an early age Carrie learned the importance of caring for others, being a good neighbor, and sharing what you had.

Carrie lived through the Great Depression, several wars, and a century of remarkable change. She remembered when her family first got indoor plumbing and electricity and watched the world transform in ways she never could have imagined as a little girl on the farm. Yet when Carrie spoke about the difficult years, she rarely focused on what they lacked. Instead, she remembered how blessed they were. Their faith was strong, their family was close, and they shared what they had with those who had less. Carrie carried that spirit of gratitude and generosity throughout her life.

After graduating high school from Simms, Carrie attended college in Great Falls, where she earned a teaching degree. She began teaching in Windham and later taught in Dutton, where she met the love of her life, Lloyd Bergen. They married on July 7, 1949.

Carrie and Lloyd built their life together on the farm and raised four children; Dexter, Riscilla, Laura Lee, and Polly. Carrie worked alongside Lloyd while raising their family, caring for their home, and preparing meals for family and hired hands during long days in the fields.

Carrie was simply one of the toughest ladies you could ever meet. She approached life with strength, determination, and very little complaint. Whatever life placed before her, Carrie met it with resilience while continuing to care deeply for the people around her.

An exceptional cook and baker, Carrie was the “Cake Queen.” Her kitchen was a gathering place where stories were shared and no one left hungry. Whether feeding hired hands during harvest, preparing family dinners, or baking one of her famous birthday cakes, food was one of the many ways Carrie showed her love.

Carrie was also involved in 4-H from a young age and carried her love for the program into adulthood. She passed that tradition on to her children and generously gave her time to young people in her community.

Above all, Carrie loved her family deeply. She loved Lloyd faithfully, and together they built a family rooted in faith, generosity, service, and love. Family gatherings and weekly dinners remained important throughout her life. In her later years, Carrie returned to the family homestead, where she was lovingly cared for by her family.

Carrie is survived by her son, Dexter Bergen; daughters, Riscilla Grimshaw (Matt) and Polly Carlstad (Gary); and son-in-law, Neil Harvey. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Amy McKethen (Nick), Annie Bos (Shawn), Mariah Harvey, and Jess Harvey; and great-grandchildren, Madison Lindberg (Isaac), Matthew McKethen, Emily Bos, Andrew McKethen, and Landon Bos.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lloyd Bergen; daughter, Laura Lee Harvey; parents; and four siblings.