James Walter BERGE

1931 - 2019  (87 years)

• Name	James Walter BERGE
  Birth	14 Sep 1931	Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
  Gender	Male
  Death	27 Aug 2019	Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois
  Burial	Valders Cemetery, Valders, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
  Notes	He was a 3rd grader in Valders at the time of the 1940 census. James Walter Berge, 87, died Tuesday morning August 27, 2019 near his longtime Arlington Heights home. He was born in Valders, WI on September 14, 1931 to Walter F. and Helen M. (Potts) Berge. Helen died in October of 1931. Jim's paternal Aunt Belinda then helped raise Jim and his brothers until Walter married Agnes Berge four years later. Jim grew up in Valders, helping out at his father's nursery when old enough and spending summers on his grandfather's or aunt's farm. He graduated Valders H.S. in 1949. He was a member of the last six man football team in 1947. He served four years in the U.S. Navy (1949-1953), mostly in Norfolk, VA. After entering the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1954 and marrying Berna Dean (Bernie) Johnston at Valders Evangelical Lutheran Church on September 3, 1955, he became even more ambitious and had two children before graduating in 1958. Soon after that he began his 30 year career with the Federal Aviation Administration, residing in half a dozen places until 1973 when he dropped anchor in Arlington Heights, IL. He and his family spent the majority of those years in Spring Green, WI., Glendale, WI., and Arlington Heights, IL. Jim enjoyed fishing with friends and family his whole life. He collected stamps for a time. He went deer hunting with his father-in-law Leonard. He took the family on camping trips, built puzzles and played board games with his sons, and coached little league baseball. He polka danced his way around many a Manitowoc County tavern. He relished playing Sheepshead with family when returning to Valders. He loved travelling rustic Wisconsin backroads. If a western movie, football game, or a PBS historical drama was scheduled to be on TV, he'd be watching. With cookie in hand he enjoyed reading history books. On top of that he smoked a very aromatic pipe for many years! Jim and Bernie toured the U.S. extensively upon his retirement, from Nova Scotia to Arizona, Florida to Alaska, and nearly every state in between. Jim is survived by his beloved wife Berna Dean, three sons: Michael and his first wife Shami (Moshi) of Schaumburg, IL, Dean of McHenry, IL, and J.J. (James Jeffrey) and Karen (Kucera) of Twin Lakes, WI. He leaves behind nine grandchildren: Johanna Berge (Miguel Lazo), Mariana Berge; Rachel Haws, J.D. Berge (Gretchen), Meghan Berge (A.J. Treu); Krista Epping (Jordan), Erik, Sean, and Lyndsey Berge. He is also survived by ten great-grandchildren: Layal, Jacoub, and Michael Lazo-Berge; T.J. and Emerson Haws; Oliver and Eliza Berge; Kiera and Aubree Borgert; and August Epping. He is also survived by two brothers: Thomas of Sykesville, Maryland and Allan of Brillion, WI., one sister Mary Bushart of West Bend, WI., and one sister-in-law LaVerne Berge of Manitowoc, WI. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his parents; one brother Robert Berge; four sisters-in-law Harriet Berge, Dolores Berge, Ida Belle Steinhilb, and Shirley Bushman; brothers-in-law Earl Renskers, Edward Bushart, and Warren Johnston; and two daughters-in-law Maria Hernandez and Lori (Voth) Berge. He was also preceded in death by Arthur Steinhilb, Donna(Forest)Johnston, and Donald Bushman.
  Person ID	I26227	Don Carlson's Tree
  Last Modified	6 Feb 2023

  
  

  Father	Walter Floyd BERGE,   b. 20 Feb 1897, Wisconsin d. 3 Jul 1974 (Age 77 years)
  Mother	Helen M POTTS,   b. 9 Jan 1901, Waupaca County, Wisconsin d. Oct 1931, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin (Age 30 years)
  Family ID	F18440	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	B. JOHNSTON
  Family ID	F18427	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	30 Jun 2017