Sherry Burgdorf

Sherry Burgdorf, 85, died peacefully May 13, 2013, after suffering an acute stroke. A Celebration of Life is June 30, from 4-7 p.m., at the outdoor park pavilion of Moir Park in Bloomington, Minn. A Celebration of Life also will be held at McCaffrey’s Dolce Vita in Decorah, at a later date to be announced in Decorah Newspapers. Private interment is being handled by Fjelstul Funeral Home, Decorah. When young, Sherry went to Decorah schools as Ione Jordahl. Her best friends were Sylvia Fischer (Aschim), Norma Jean Jordahl (Townswick) and Charles Rosenthal. Her mom (Idella) was a Dahle; her grandfather, a stern minister. Her father wasn’t that good. Julia Dahle (Shima) took the family in: Ione, the Jordahl twins (Leigh and Neil) and Idella (her sister). Noticing from childhood that when children yell, “That’s not fair!” they usually were right, Sherry has always been an advocate for children (she raised three, one difficult), the poor, the challenged, the outsiders. After Bethany Lutheran College, she taught school in a one-room schholhouse and, later, at a Lutheran parochial school in St. Paul. She married Howard Burgdorf in 1950, with Leigh Jordahl officiating, and became Sherry Burgdorf. Her spiritual and political journey has taken her to many places. After years of Hebrew studies, she became that rare Norwegian who went through a bat mitzvah, converted, and changed her name to Yah El ("mountain goat"). Soon, she went back to Sherry Burgdorf, and founded “Fair 4 Kids.” Sherry loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren; her whippets; and turkey vultures. She lived in Bloomington and Edina, Minn., before moving back to Decorah in 2011. She is mourned by survivors: Howard; sons Mark, Eric (Kathy) and Andrew (Sherilyn); grandchildren: Esther (Jon) Yunkin, Rebekah and Hannah Burgdorf; Amanda and Michael Burgdorf; and Owen Burgdorf-Hibbs. Great-grandchildren include Joshua, Caleb and Matthew Yunkin. Besides family and friends, her seven-year caregiver and friend, Bill Williams, grieves.