Alice Berkman

Alice Lorraine Argiro Berkman, 54, artist and educator, died Wednesday in her hometown of Apple Valley. Born in Syracuse N.Y., she was an art teacher at Kennedy Middle School for 19 years. She was a 2001 National Board Certified teacher, department chair of performing arts in Barstow for 19 years and a National Endowment of the Arts recepient-artist in residence in public schools. Alice nationally exhibited her blown glass, paintings, photography and ceramics receiving awards at Corning Museum of Glass in New York and many galleries in the northeast. She received her Bachelor of Science degree at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y. and Master of Science in teaching at Rochester Institute of Technology and Glassblowing at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. She also took courses at the University of California at Riverside and Research and Study of the Arts in Western Europe. Survivors include her mother, Rosalie Argiro of Phoenix, Ariz.; sister Adrienne Balducci of Syracuse, N.; niece and nephew, Nicole and Jason Balducci of Syracuse, N.Y. and great-niece, Siena Balducci of Syracuse, N.Y. Service and burial were private. In memory of Alice Berkman, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105.Dudley Apple Valley Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.