Phyllis Hasselberg

Phyllis Marian Johnson Hasselberg
First Lady of Bloomington
1918 - 2015
It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of 97 year old wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother Phyllis Hasselberg. Born to Harry Johnson and Myrtle Susag on February 11, 1918, Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents and later her husband of 58 years, Donald Hasselberg. They met when Phyllis was 16 and married four years later in 1938. After receiving a job offer with the Social Security Department, the newlyweds moved to Baltimore, MD, where their son Bruce was born in 1939. Donald took a job with the IRS and transferred back to Minnesota where they had their daughter, Barbara in 1943. Donald was drafted into the Army so Phyllis ran a boarding house to help subsidize their family's needs. Donald went on to college under the GI Bill and was hired by 3M shortly before graduation. Because of her amazing musical ability, Phyllis was hired by Bruce Dayton to open the Southdale Dayton Music department where she remained until her husband was elected Mayor of Bloomington in 1960. She was extremely proud of her title as the First Lady of Bloomington, a title the people of Bloomington never let her relinquish. A few of her many talents included tennis and piano, but she was most known for having a photographic memory. She loved the Vikings and the Twins and rarely missed watching a game. She is survived by son, Bruce Hasselberg; and daughter, former Miss Minnesota Barbara Chevalier, as well as 4 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. We will all miss her sweet demeanor, fashion sense, lovely piano playing, detailed stories of her childhood and her incredible ability to make all of us laugh.