Lila Berglund

A Celebration of Life for Lila will be held 2:00 p.m., Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Calvary United Methodist Church in Stratford. Pastor Justin Crocheck will officiate. Visitation will be at 1 p.m., Saturday, at the Church. Burial of ashes will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Stratford. For online obituaries & condolences visit: www.carsonstappfuneralhome.com

Lila Louise Mechaelsen was born March 14, 1935, the daughter of Oliver and Lois Ruth (Munson) Mechaelsen. She graduated with the Kamrar High School Class of 1952. She was a proud member of the 1952 Kamrar Komet Girls Basketball team that placed runner-up in the state championship game. After high school, she worked for four years at Farmers National Bank in Webster City.

On February 3, 1957, Lila was united in marriage to Philip Edward Berglund at the Kamrar Presbyterian Church. They began farming near Stratford. Lila worked for one year at the Stratford Bank until the children started arriving. In 1961, they moved to the farm near Dayton. This farm, nestled near Deception Hollow, proved to be a wonderful place to raise their four children and share in hunting for mushrooms and Indian artifacts. In 1989, they left this farm and purchased the farm a few miles down the road, where they remained for the rest of their lives.

Over the years, Lila was active in Church circles, first at Dayton United Methodist Church, and then Calvary United Methodist, Stratford. Although she could no longer get out to church, Lila wrote in her journal that she remained “rooted in God’s Grace.” Her hobbies included playing Pinochle, watching basketball games on TV, especially the Hawkeye Women and Men, going for timber rides on the four-wheeler, canning, gardening, and keeping a beautiful flower bed which included her iris collection. She enjoyed cooking Swedish rye bread, rusk, looked forward to Specken Dicken each New Year’s, and many other dishes.

Lila and Phil also enjoyed fishing trips to Minnesota, and going to town for morning coffee. Most of all, Lila loved being a farm wife and mother.

Survivors include her children, Sarah (James) Wright of Collins, IA, Ruth Berglund of Boone, IA, Mark (Lori) Berglund of Dayton, IA, and Mary (Mike) Harreld of Williams, IA; seven grandchildren, Nathan Wright, Christina Wright, Kyle (Brittany) Ferguson, Rachel Ferguson, Lindsey Wingfield, Houston (Kelly) Harreld, and Clayton (McKenzie) Harreld; ten great-grandchildren, Lillie Ferguson, Juniper Lein, Loucian Lein, Jayden Cooper, Grace Merriam, Beau Wingfield, Henry Harreld, Mallory Harreld, Calvin Harreld, and Kinley Harreld; one sister-in-law, Pat Mechaelsen of Webster City, IA; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

In addition to her parents, Lila is preceded in death by her husband, Phil Berglund on October 27, 2025, her brother, Lowell Mechaelsen, sister, Maxine (Loren) Jacobson, and a great granddaughter, Blakely Harreld.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.