Dedication to Mor Mor & Far Far

Bergliot and Arthur Thompson are affectionately known as Mor Mor and Far Far, the Norwegian words for "mother's mother" and "father's father". They have lived all of their married lives in Salt Lake City, and they have a large posterity and countless friends. Their lives can be characterized by two words, LOVE and FRIENDSHIP. Far Far passed away a few years ago, and Mor Mor recently passed away. This blog is dedicated to them, and it gives highlights of their lives and service to others.

What's New

This page gives the new information added or changed in this blog. Newer items are listed first.

• Added a story from Allen Leigh
• Added Far Far's obituary
• Replaced Mor Mor's obituary with a newer version
• Corrected spelling of Far Far's name on the Home page

Stories from Allen Leigh

Mor Mor was an almost perfect mother-in-law. I was her first son-in-law, but she never interfered in my marriage to her oldest child, Judy. I knew she loved me and was available if I wanted to talk with her, but she let me make the first effort to visit with her. Judy and I lived the first 30+ years of our marriage out of Utah, and Mor Mor and Far Far came to visit us when they could, but they never tried to get us to return to Utah. We did return to Utah in 1993, but it was our decision to return.

One of my favorite stories about Far Far is the time he was working as a carpenter at the Tooele Depot. He and another carpenter were repairing a ramp that was used to launch rockets. All of a sudden they heard a noise at the base of the ramp and realized that a rocket was being launched and in a matter of seconds would be moving up the ramp. They really got off that ramp fast. I don't know how high they were, probably 15-20 feet. Fortunately, they got off the ramp before the rocket reached the spot where they were working.

Photos of Mor Mor and Far Far

This page contains photographs of Mor Mor and Far Far that have been submitted by their family and friends. Each person submitting photographs has their own page in the blog. This blog is not visited by any search engines, and persons accessing the blog must have the exact URL or http address of the blog.

If you have digital versions of the photographs, send them to mormorfarfar@bergstedt.org Otherwise mail them to me using my post office address, and I will scan them in and return them to you. If you don't know my PO address, send me an email, and I will email my address to you.

Mor Mor's Obituary

The following was written by Mor Mor's son, Gary. Click here for Far Far's obituary.

Bergliot Paulsen Thompson
"Mor Mor”

Bergliot (Berg) Paulsen Thompson, age 95, passed away in her home in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 12:25 PM. She was born Sep 17, 1917 in Springfield, Idaho, the daughter of Norwegian immigrants, Abel Magnus Paulsen and Borghild Marie Bergstedt. In 1924 her family established a home in Sugar House. Berg graduated from East High School in 1934, and she completed one year of school at the LDS Business College. She worked without pay for two attorneys just to get experience to qualify for a paying job. In 1936, Berg drove East to LaGrange, Illinois to visit her cousin Eleanor, who introduced her to Arthur Thompson. A warm relationship followed, and they were married on Sep 14, 1940 in Salt Lake City. In 1950 they purchased a lot and built their current home in the Foothill area of Salt Lake City. Berg was an ideal, loving and nurturing mother to three boys and three girls, all of whom completed College.

Berg excelled in art, especially water color painting. Many homes display her pleasant, colorful landscape and flower paintings. She has painted seasonal flowers on hundreds of wedding invitations, which now hang on walls or adorn dressers throughout the world. Berg lived for Christmas and loved to decorate her home, cook Norwegian cookies, and entertain family and friends. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints she has served in many callings such as: Secretary to a Stake Patriarch, Primary teacher, an officer in the Young Woman’s and Relief Society organizations, and for many years as the ward newsletter editor. She is remembered for her compassion, generosity, listening and empathetic ear, common sense, and genuine love for all. Her family affectionately calls her Mor Mor, which means mother’s mother in Norwegian. She is survived by her sister, Kristine B. (Lynn) McGhie and her children: Judy (Allen) Leigh, Gary (Diane) Thompson, Chris Thompson, Heidi (Ross) Marchant, Tova (Tim) Henry, Rolf (Janeen) Thompson, 30 grandchildren, and 58 great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents and her brothers and their spouses: Finn B (Sarah) Paulsen, Abel E. (Bonnie) Paulsen, Carl B. (Carol) Paulsen.

Viewings will be held on Wednesday evening, April 24, from 6 to 8 pm, at the Wasatch Lawn Mortuary (3401 South Highland Drive) in Salt Lake City, and on Thursday, April 25, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM at the Foothill 3rd Ward (1933 South 2100 East) prior to the funeral which will follow at noon. Internment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. We give special thanks to the doctors and hospice care givers who have helped tend to her needs in recent months.

Far Far's Obituary

The following was written by Gary Thompson, son of Arthur and Bergliot Thompson. Click here for Mor Mor's obituary.

Arthur (FarFar) Thompson, age 87, passed away at home on May 7, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Born August 20, 1917 in La Grange, Illinois, he was the only son of Kristian Thompson and Anne Sofie Knudsen, both of whom were Norwegian emigrants. Art had two older sisters, Clara and Elsie, and one younger sister, Ruth. He graduated from the Lion’s Township High School, La Grange, Illinois, in 1936. Art married Bergliot Paulsen of Salt Lake City September 14, 1940. They are the parents of 6 children. This September they would have been married 65 years.

In his youth Art excelled in sports including ice skating, running, and horse shoes. He worked as a golf greens-keeper, caddy, and as a Packard Car Salesman. He first met his bride-to-be, Berg, in 1936 when she visited her cousins, who also happened to be his cousins, in La Grange. Sparks ignited such that in 1940 Art drove his Ford Coupe Convertible to Salt Lake City where, after a brief courtship, they were married and settled.

From 1940 to 1981, Art worked in the construction business building schools, chapels, hospitals, commercial and government buildings. Most of that time he worked for the Finn B. Paulsen Construction Company, owned by his brothers-in-law Finn and Abel. He loved his trade and never lacked work because of his honest, quality workmanship and positive attitude. In1950 he built his beautiful family home on the East bench and has been generous with his skills helping friends and relatives build their homes. His main interests in retirement have been family and golf.

Art is survived by his wife Bergliot, his children, Judy (Allen) Leigh, Gary (Diane) Thompson, Chris Thompson, Heidi (Ross) Marchant, Tova (Timothy) Henry of Alaska, and Rolf (Janeen) Thompson, 30 grandchildren, and 29 great grandchildren. His parents and two sisters, Clara and Ruth, have preceded him in death.

Services will be held Thursday, May 12 at 12 PM in the Foothill 3rd Ward Chapel, (1794 So. Texas Street, 2405 East). Friends and family may call Wednesday from 6-8 PM, at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 South Highland Drive, or at the church on Thursday 10:30-11:30 AM., prior to services.

Mor Mor's 90th Birthday

In 2007, Mor Mor had her 90th birthday. Let's celebrate with her. Click the pictures for larger views.

Christmas With Mor Mor

Norwegians celebrate Christmas on the evening of December 24th. This tradition of a special Christmas Eve was brought to the United States when Borghild Bergstedt immigrated from Norway as a teenager. For years, Borghild, affectionately called Mor by everyone, invited her family to her house for a traditional Norwegian dinner (including Lutefisk). She later added a visit by Santa Claus after the dinner. With excitement in their eyes, adults and children gathered in Mor's living room to await the visit from Santa, with the lights turned off and only a candle giving light.

After quite a few years, Mor's family had grown beyond the capacity of her living room to hold them all, and Mor's children began having their own dinner, followed by a visit from Santa at the home of Kristine and Lynn. Mor Mor had a Christmas dinner for her children and their families on Christmas day. Santa no longer comes to Kristine and Lynn's because the family is just too large. Instead, he makes separate visits to designated homes of Mor's children and grandchildren.

Mor's eldest child, Bergliot, is called Mor Mor by her children, and they enjoyed having a traditional Norwegian dinner on Christmas eve at Mor Mor's home.  However, as Mor Mor's posterity grew, they became too numerous for Mor Mor's house, and her children began hosting Christmas-eve dinners at their homes with refreshments and Santa Claus at Mor Mor's home. It has been a nice gathering for Mor Mor's children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Click here to go to pictures and a video from the 2011 Christmas party at Mor Mor's home.

Mor Mor's and Far Far's Life

Mor Mor was born in Idaho and lived in Salt Lake City, Utah. Far Far was born in Illinois and lived in La Grange, Illinois. Their lives came together when Mor Mor went east to visit her cousin, Eleanor. Eleanor introduced her to Art Thompson. Mor Mor and Art had a fun time during that visit. Art later drove to Utah to continue their relationship, and their courtship ended in marriage on September 14, 1940 in Salt Lake City. He later became known as Far Far, the Norwegian phrase for "father's father".

Mor Mor and Far Far had full lives. They had six children, all of whom graduated from college. Far Far was never a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he always supported his children in their church-activity. The three boys served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and all six children were married in a LDS temple. Far Far worked hard as a carpenter to support his family. Mor Mor stayed home to tend her family, and she skimped and saved to make-do on a carpenter's wage. Far Far built their home in the early 1950s, and they lived there for the remainder of their lives. Far Far died in 2005 from cancer, and Mor Mor died in April 2013 from old age.

Here is a slide show depicting that visit to Illinois, their marriage, and a few pictures of Far Far's later life. These slides were shown at Far Far's funeral.

The following slide show was shown at Mor Mor's funeral and gives an overview of her life. A few of the slides are from the video about their courtship in Illinois, because they depict that phase of Mor Mor's life.

Stories

Please share your remembrances of Mor Mor and Far Far with us. Each person submitting stories has their own page in this blog. This blog is not visited by any search engines, and persons accessing the blog must have the exact URL or http address of the blog. Send your stories to mormorfarfar@bergstedt.org

•  Allen Leigh

Express Your Love

This post is the place for your comments about the love you have for Mor Mor and Far Far, your family, the Gospel, etc. Tell the people you love how and why you feel that way about them, while they're still here. Life can be snuffed out in just a few seconds, and they need to hear from you while they are still with us.