Wesley Bergsrud

Wesley “Wes” Bergsrud, 87, of Anchorage, Alaska, passed away on March 9, 2026. Born on June 9, 1938, in Spring Grove, Minnesota, he was the oldest son of Walter and Laverne Bergsrud. In 1958 he married Margaret “Peggy” Schuh, beginning a loving partnership that lasted 67 years.

In June 1969 Wes and Peggy moved with their four children—Brenda, Bradley, Kevin, and Michael—from Minnesota to Anchorage. Wes had earlier owned and operated a traveling roller rink and worked as a journeyman painter and sandblaster on interstate bridges across Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Nebraska. In Alaska he enjoyed a 28-year career as a driller and mechanic with Western Geophysical, retiring in 1997.

An avid reader throughout his life, Wes also cherished time spent boating on the Mississippi River and bowling. He rolled his first 700 series before age 17 and maintained a lifelong passion for the sport, competing for years in the Recycled Teenagers and Over the Hill Gang leagues while practicing several days a week. He continued visiting the bowling alley to watch his friends until just weeks before his death. He formed many enduring friendships through bowling, as well as during more than 50 annual men’s poker retreat weekends filled with prayer, conversation, and camaraderie. In Alaska he loved fishing for salmon on the Kenai River.

A devoted Catholic and longtime parishioner of Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church since 1969, Wes served as a communion minister and volunteered with the Knights of Columbus. He is survived by his wife Peggy, daughter Brenda of Anchorage, son and daughter-in-law Kevin and Barbara of Gold Canyon, Arizona, grandchildren Erika (Clinton), Walter (Becca), and Olivia (Ezequiel), and great-grandchildren Scott, Camille, and Oliver. He was preceded in death by his sons Michael and Bradley, his parents, and his siblings. Wes will be laid to rest beside Bradley and Michael in the family plot at Anchorage Memorial Cemetery this summer.