Gail Thoren Berg

November 6, 1934 - November 5, 2014 Gail Thoren Berg, 79, of Rolling Hills Estates passed away on the morning of Wednesday, November 5th. Born November 6, 1934 in Kansas City, Missouri to parents Carl and Alma Thoren, she grew up in Paola, Kansas, a small town of 5,000. She is survived by her husband Richard Berg, her brother Marc, three children: Katy, David, and Tom, as well as seven grandchildren. She enjoyed a comfortable childhood in the Midwest where she made many life-long friends, developed a passion for reading, served as a swimming instructor, and enrolled at Kansas University where she proudly pledged Kappa Alpha Theta. After graduating in 1956, she was recruited to be a 2nd grade teacher in Bellflower, CA. There, she met a skinny young jet pilot named Richard Berg, whom she married in June of 1957. They lived in Fargo, Seattle, Anaheim and Honolulu before settling in Palos Verdes, where they lived together in the same home for 46 years. She was an avid traveler and journeyed with Richard throughout the United States and the Caribbean. She cherished her small town upbringing and recreated it in Palos Verdes. An active community member, she volunteered at the Palos Verdes Public Library, a battered women's shelter and was a member of the Palos Verdes Women's Club. Those who knew her well will remember her cheerful and endearing disposition. Those who knew her best will miss her love of stain-glassed windows, her beautiful penmanship, and her latest opinions on whatever she was reading--she loved to get sucked into a good story, be it a Jodi Picoult novel or the latest Steve Lopez column. She was a strong, charismatic woman who lived her life with great conviction and dignity. Her wit, laughter and grace will be forever missed. A celebration of her life will take place at the Berg residence on November 15th. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Smile Train.