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- [S927] Obituary.
1919-2007
Mass of a Christian Burial for John G. Berger, 88, Bumpass, Va. formerly of Sidney, was at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 3, 2007, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church with Father Greg Staudinger as presider.
Musical selections were provided by Gary Rauschendorfer and Virginia Herrick. Casketbearers were John's grandsons John Berger III, Greggrey Flood, Jesse Tageant II, Nikolaus Berger, Shaun Masterson, Shain Masterson and Jerry D. King. Honorary casketbearers were John's granddaughters Tami Berger, LaRita Berger, Bobbilee McDonald, Lacie Berger, Resa Berger and Lisa King. Ushers were Mike Cummings and Dennis DeVries. Interment took place in the Richland Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Fulkerson Funeral Home of Sidney.
John was born to Jacob and Bertha (Flink) Berger on Feb. 1, 1919, in Richardton, N.D. He grew up and attended the Catholic school in Richardton where he was also an alter boy. In 1931, Holly Sugar moved John's family to Fairview in a box car so they could work at the factory. Later they moved to Sidney and continued to work the factory.
Following school, John began working for Sidney Livestock, counting sheep. He left home at the age of 17 to work at Holly Sugar, the Flour Mill, and Pacific Hide and Fur as a skinner. In 1942, John moved to Glendive to homestead a 180-acre farm raising sugar beets. He moved back to Sidney in 1950 to farm, and he started his trucking company.
John met Faye Sharbono at the LaLonde Hotel where she worked. They were united in marriage Aug. 26, 1950. Still trucking, John built his first apartment in 1967. Then in 1971, he started his school bus line for Sidney Public Schools.
John and three partners built the Lone Tree Motor Inn in 1979, and he also built four more apartments in Sidney during this time. In 1984, he sold the Lone Tree Motor Inn. He was a general contractor and built apartment complexes in Fairview, Scobey and Choteau. John retired driving truck in 1975. He retired fully in 2005, and he and Faye moved to Bumpass, Va., to live with their daughter Faye Brown.
John's hobbies were playing card games, lawn darts, poker machines and going to town to see the boys. Age made no difference to John, he said he was a jack of all trades but a master of none. He did whatever to make a nickel. John enjoyed playing and teasing his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also enjoyed cutting the grass, but the only way to cut the grass was his way.
John died Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007, at Bumpass, where he lived with his daughter Faye Brown.
John is survived by: two sons, John Jr. (Patti) Berger, Sidney, and Greg Berger, Post Falls, Idaho; three daughters Patricia (Bill) Griffen, Pasco, Wash., Faye (Roger) Brown, Bumpass, Va., and Rita (John) Masterson, Strawberry Plains, Tenn.; two brothers, Con Berger, San Jose, Calif., and Albert R.Berger, Grand Junction, Colo.; two sisters, Christine (Glen) Becker, Beulah, N.D., and Bertha Gegelman, Trinidad, Colo; 15 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews.
John was proceeded in death by his parents; wife, Faye; son James; two granddaughters Miranda and Saire; four sisters Rosie, Catherine, Josephine and Eleanor; and two brothers Casper and Joseph.
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1919 - 2007 (88 years)