Berg, Alvin Charles 1930 - 2018

BERG, CHASE, TURGEON, KRAMER, JACOBSEN, COONRADT

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:43

Alvin Charles Berg was born Dec. 15, 1930, in Decorah, and died peacefully March 31, 2018, in Vancouver, Wash. A Celebration of Life is Sunday, April 15, at 1 p.m. at Fairway Village Clubhouse. Private burial will be held at Evergreen Memorial Gardens.

He was born with a happy and good-natured soul to Mildred and Arnold Berg. Al had a deep compassion for others and lived with an enviable grace and enthusiasm for life. He was a man of gratitude and humility, founded in his Lutheran convictions. Alvin passed on the evening of Holy Saturday surrounded by his family, and in the tradition of the church, his family held vigil until midnight, welcoming Easter Sunday whereby he was seamlessly transitioned into eternal life with God in Heaven.

Alvin graduated from Decorah High School in 1948 and Luther College in 1955. While attending Luther he married June Chase. His early career took his young family to Minneapolis, where he worked as an accountant at General Mills and Ford Motor Company. On Dec. 30, 1962, he moved his growing family to Vancouver where he co-founded Criticare Medical Services. As the company took root he worked for Prudential Insurance and First National Bank of Oregon as a financial analyst, but soon transitioned to working full time for Criticare, which grew to be the largest medical supply company in the Pacific Northwest, serving hospitals and nursing facilities as well as homes. Al retired in 1990. Civic and social volunteerism became his passion and motivation later in life.

Alvin was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Royal Oaks Country Club, Fairway Village Board, President’s Circle - Life Member of the Luther College President’s Council, Emeritus Member Concordia University Foundation Board, Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, Founding Member of the Parks Foundation of Clark County and Fund Holder at the Community Foundation of Southwest Washington.

He especially enjoyed his weekly breakfast group, poker group, bridge club, and was a member of several choral groups and barbershop quartets. He was an avid Seahawks fan and held season tickets since 1978, attending games until recently. He enjoyed gardening and nature, spending time in area parks and hiking the many trails of southwest Washington, particularly the Columbia River Gorge.
Alvin was one of America’s original road trippers, enjoying a million miles of driving through scenic areas in the Pacific Northwest and across the United States and Canada. His favorite and most frequent destination was his hometown of Decorah. It is there he inspired a Berg family reunion three years ago, being held this year May 19. He will be sorely missed by the Berg family at this year’s event.

Alvin also loved to visit other countries, especially Norway. He had many overseas experiences including Europe, the Holy Land, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. He particularly enjoyed Luther Alumni trips accompanying the Luther College Nordic Choir as they performed across Europe. His greatest joy in life came from his children and grandchildren, with whom he spent much time and shared many travel adventures.

Alvin is survived by three children: Marc (Diane) Berg, Susan (Norman) Turgeon and Brian (Jeannie) Berg; his grandchildren: Alex, Eric, Lauren and Jordan Berg, and Kevin, Ryan (Megan) and Kendall Kramer; great-grandchildren: Reece, Maxton and Adele Kramer; his sister, Jerrine (Karl) Jacobsen of Decorah; and numerous nieces and nephews. All are grateful for the experiences he created and shared.

Alvin was preceded in death in 1976, by his beloved daughter, Mary Berg. Alvin made arrangements to memorialize Mary in the Headwaters Wall feature in the Vancouver Waterfront Park, to be dedicated this fall. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Marie “Babe,” in 1986; and in 2009 by his wife, Marilynn “Mo,”; his siblings: Robert, Betty, Arnold and David Berg and Bernard Coonradt.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1309 Franklin St., Vancouver, WA, 98660 or Community Foundation for Southwest Washington (Waterfront Park Project) 610 Esther St., Suite 201, Vancouver, WA 98660. The Vancouver Waterfront Park was a source of tremendous pride for Alvin.

Source: Decorah Newspapers April 13, 2018