Ibsen "Ib" Feydore Birgers
December 28, 1929 ~ January 13, 2021
Born in:
Chicago, Illinois
Resided in:
Pueblo, Colorado
CELEBRATION OF LIFE –
Ibsen Feydore “Ib” Birgers, 91, passed away Jan. 13, 2021, at his home. Ib was born on Dec. 28, 1929, in Chicago to Daniel and Esther Birgers. When he was an infant, his family moved to San Francisco (just south of Haight Street on Ashbury, before that had any cultural significance). He considered San Francisco his hometown. After graduating from high school, he lived in Sweden for three years, getting in touch with his roots. This was followed by a stint in the U.S. Army in Germany during the postwar occupation. He received a B.A. from San Francisco State University, and a Masters in Social Work from Sacramento State University. While working for social services in Santa Clara, Calif., he met Midge Trossen, a co-worker. They got married in 1964. In 1970 they moved to Midge’s hometown of Pueblo. He was a team leader in the adult psychiatric division of the Colorado Mental Health Institute for 25 years. Ib’s intellectual curiosity and interests were boundless. If he wasn’t reading books about crows, language or philosophy, he was creating art, baking bread, gardening, folkdancing or philosophical dialoguing. He always found something new to try. The walls of the family home are full of his paintings and sketches. He loved the outdoors. Many vacations were spent camping, hiking and birdwatching. He and Midge enjoyed international travel after retirement. He was active in the Unitarian Fellowship for 46 years. Most importantly, he was a loving husband, father and friend to many. He will be missed! Ib is survived by Madelyn “Midge” Birgers, his wife of 56 years; sister, Zandra (Leon) Perlinn of Gulf Breeze, Fla; daughters, Cassandra (Jeff) Cohen of Princeton, N.J., Andrea (Martin) Birgers of Boulder; son, Kristofer (Candida) Birgers of Colorado Springs; stepson, David Birgers; grandchildren, Alex Cohen, Johanna Starr, Annette, Ava, William and Weston Birgers; and a great-grandson, Lucas. Celebration of Ib’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center’s pavilion, 5200 Nature Center Road. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center (PO Box 99, Beulah, CO 81023 or https://hikeandlearn.org/membershipdonations/donate/). Online condolences, www.MontgomerySteward.com
Midge, I will think of Ib as the lively folk dancer, with a whimsical smile and a lightness of heart. You both had a gem in each other. My heartfelt wishes and prayers for your comfort in a time of grief and loss.
Words are not enough to ease the sadness of losing someone so important to you. Honoring the life of someone so special, and sending my thoughts of sympathy and peace. I will always hold dear our conversations when we met on the river walk.
Dear Midge, my deepest sympathy goes out to you and your families in the loss of Ib. He was a special man.
Please take care. My prayers and thoughts are with you!
Blessings,
Ginny Burger
Ib was a wonderful man and a powerful man with his interest in all things metaphysical. Ib and his loving wife Midge I would see around town or at the Riverwalk or at the Unitarian Church. This is a great loss for Pueblo.
Ib and I met while folk dancing. His spirit and light was incredible and will always be with me. I never wanted to dance to the Salty Dog Rag with anyone else. Peace and love sent to Midge and all the family.