Bernard Berg

Bernard Berg passed away on November 5, 2015 at the age of 91. He was a longtime resident of Gleneagles Country Club in Delray Beach, FL. Bernie was born October 23, 1924 and grew up in The Bronx, NY. He attended Townsend Harris High School, which was a public school for gifted students. He subsequently earned degrees from The City College of New York and Columbia University. In World War II, he was a decorated light infantry officer, went to Officers Candidate School at the age of 19, and as a First Lieutenant led a platoon in Patton’s Army that broke through to rescue the American soldiers who were “trapped” in the Battle of the Bulge. While in the trenches, he developed a lifelong case of hepatitis and was wounded several times but refused to leave his men to go back to HQ to pick up his Purple Hearts. In the photo, he is all of 20 years old. After the fighting ended, he was assigned by the Army to Paris to work with the media as he was fluent in French and German. Bernie spent his career working in financial services as a stock broker. He was very active in his community of River Edge, NJ, serving as president of his local synagogue and also as president of the volunteer ambulance corp. He and his wife, Arlene Berg, resided in Ft. Lee, NJ, for many years. After retiring, he moved full-time to Gleneagles in Delray Beach, FL, where he and Arlene spent many happy years together. He was a lifelong avid card player and taught himself to play bridge at the age of 80. In addition to his wife, Arlene Zimmerman Cohen Berg, Bernie is survived by his two sons, Jonathan M. Berg of Longboat Key, FL and NYC, and Richard J. Berg of Cedar Crest, NM; Jonathan’s wife Kristina Wheaton Berg and Richard’s wife Phyllis Bergman; his two grandchildren, Rebecca Berg Grimaldi (married to Ralph Grimaldi) of Austin, TX and David Wheaton Berg (engaged to Emily Notaro) of NYC; his three great-grandchildren, Austin Grimaldi, Sawyer Grimaldi and Duncan Grimaldi; his step-son Jeffrey Cohen of Highland Lakes, NJ and Jeffrey’s wife Tina Randazzo Cohen and grandchildren Amanda Cohen Sireno (married to Richard Sireno) of Fairlawn, NJ and Sarafina Cohen (engaged to Joshua Baptist) of Ft. Lee, NJ; his step-son Gary Cohen of Kinnelon, NJ, Gary’s wife Lori Ditchkus Cohen and grandchildren Julia, Nicole and Aaron Cohen; nephew Jay Forgotson and his wife Janis of Westport, CT and Osprey, FL; and niece Barbara Garavuso and her husband Jerry Garavuso of Holiday, FL. A private Memorial Celebration of Bernie Berg’s life will be held for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to your preferred charity in his honor.

Bernard Berg

October 23, 1924 - November 5, 2015