David J. Broberg

David Jay Broberg, age 89, of Grand Rapids, MN passed away unexpectedly Saturday, August 15, 2026.

David was born February 15th, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois, to Sally (Wilkins) and Rayner Broberg. While his father worked as a printer for the Chicago Daily News, his mother accepted the role of building a resort in Northern Minnesota, Green Wing Lodge on Anderson Lake near Bigfork. His older brothers, Skip and John, taught him at an early age how to hunt, fish, and swim, once they became tired of rescuing him when he drove his tricycle down the bank and into the lake. His entrepreneurial spirit emerged at an early age, when he caught frogs for resorters' fishing expeditions, selling them for a nickel apiece. His Scotch Terrier, Lassie, was his constant companion.

When the war began, resort business faltered, so his family moved to Grand Rapids, starting the first Army Navy Surplus store. When his father later went to work on the Alaskan Highway, David and his Mom eventually moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, later returning once again to Grand Rapids, where David spent his senior year in high school. He couldn't wait to return to Alaska, where enticing jobs and wonderful friendships were abundant.

When his parents eventually moved back to Chicago, they insisted that Dave return from Alaska to live with them in order to attend Wharton Accounting School. Passing the CPA exam the first time around, he then found great mentors interning with a Wisconsin accounting firm. In 1964, he chose to locate back in Grand Rapids, where he would establish the first CPA-led accounting practice. Eventually, he found a home for his family on Pokegama Lake, where he and his then-wife, MaryLee, raised son, Brad, and daughter, Pamm.

Always an entrepreneur, he partnered with other adventurous souls, founding the Centennial Rotary Club, opening a frozen thin-crust pizza factory, and purchasing the Deer River Folio Co. He eagerly embraced the opportunity to start an outfitting business in the Yukon Territory, Rogue River, guiding hunters from around the world. By the time he sold his Pokegama Lake home, his office walls were covered with mementos of his many ventures, the successes alongside the failures. He retired from his last partnership, Broberg & Ferraro, in 2005.

In 1991, a new relationship began with another local entrepreneur, Jacquelyn, who had just sold her store, Jenny & Company, and had found an apartment in San Francisco. From there, they found one adventure after another along the NW Coast, finally marrying in 1992 at Manka's Inverness Lodge, a renovated duck hunting lodge on Point Reyes.

In 2008, they purchased a renovated loft in the North Loop, Minneapolis, where they enjoyed the stimulation of city life balanced by the quiet joys of living in the woods at their cabin on Prairie Lake. In 2019, they moved into town, finding their perfect home overlooking the Mississippi reservoir.

Over the years, "Castle Creek Camp," named by Dave's friend and attorney Harry Chalupski, satisfied another passion - deer camp. Dave relished that time in November and so did his co-conspirator in most every bit of trouble - Joe Novicki. Deer season was sacred. Dave was blessed to have had, over many, many years, the best hunting success of all - spending time with good friends drinking and telling lies around the camp stove. And the lot of them even shot an occasional deer.

People will remember Dave as being the one who could bring smiles and laughter to all those he encountered. It had been his dream at a young age to find ways to get people to laugh, a skill that he eventually honed to perfection. With wit and an upbeat attitude, he claimed "hats" as his signature style, always donned at a slight angle. He loved both jazz and classical music as well as theatre, serving as president of the Reif board. Dave was known for his love of community and giving back, and his generosity with his time, talents and money.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Skip and John Broberg, and his brother-in-law, Mike Andruzak. He is survived by Jacquelyn Tofte, his wife of 34 years, a sister, Karen Andruzak of Parachute, CO, two children, Pamm (Dave) Iannazzo of Lyons, CO, and Brad (Julie) Broberg of Mound, MN, two grandsons, Gage (Elle) and Cole, both of Seattle, WA. 

At Davids request, there will be no public funeral.

He will be deeply missed.