MILDRED E. BERL

BERL MILDRED ELLIOTT BERL April 29, 1916 - January 5, 2012 Artist, educator, poet and psychologist Mildred Lucille Elliott Berl of Washington, DC passed away at the home of her daughter and son-in-law in Syracuse, New York on January 5, 2012. An almost-native Washingtonian, Mildred was born in Mt. Ranier, Maryland and moved with her family to Georgetown as a young child. During her junior high and high school years, her family lived in Lakeland, Florida, following the land-boom, as her father took charge of coordinating all rail traffic for central Florida. In 1933 the Elliotts returned to Washington, where Mildred received a scholarship for junior college at the Chevy Chase School. Mildred later attended Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, paying for her tuition by teaching horseback riding. She returned to Washington to finish her Bachelor's degree at Dunbarton College. Her summers were spent supervising playgrounds in Northwest Washington. Her first job after college was as registrar at the National Art School in which she also enrolled. Mildred's specialty was designing and painting scenery for their productions. Through the school's director she connected with Oleg Cassini and helped him stage his first fashion show in Washington. A prolific poet, Mildred published her poems and received awards from an early age. She received her Master of Arts Degree in English Literature from American University. Then she pursued her masters and doctoral degrees in psychology at George Washington University and American University and obtained her license to practice psychology. It was her earlier work with children on the playgrounds of Washington that drew her to study psychology and establish the School Guidance Center, where she provided counseling, testing and school placement services. Out of that grew the Agnes Bruce Greig School, for children who did not thrive in traditional school settings, and later, Greig II, a school without walls for gifted children. Her clinical and research psychology continued throughout her lifetime and provided her with unique opportunities. She studied under and became great friends with Leo Kanner, the "father" of autism research. She helped establish a school in Daytona Beach, FL similar to the Greig School. She consulted for the government and assisted in the development and evaluation of Headstart programs around the country during the Johnson administration. She participated in the first White House Conference on the Aging. She shared with her late husband a love of all animals and they took in many abandoned dogs, large and small, that would otherwise not be placed. She continued, after his passing, to provide sanctuary for previously abused dogs. Mildred was a member of the Episcopal Church and was an avid gardener. She volunteered at the Washington Cathedral Greenhouse after her retirement. She also served on the vestry of St. David's Church in Washington. Other affiliations included the American University chapter of Phi Delta Gamma, the honors sorority of graduate women, and Psychiatric Outpatient Centers of America, where she served as president in the 1970's. Mildred is survived by her son Herbert E. M. Berl (Mary Rebecca Kraus) of Knoxville, TN; daughter Janet Berl Burman (George) of Syracuse, NY; grandchildren Peter M. Berl (Madison) of Germantown, MD; Rebecca Anne Berl of Knoxville, TN; Douglas R. Burman of Syracuse, NY; Jonathan G. Burman of Chicago, IL; Jennifer Burman Meece (James) of Indianapolis, IN; great-grandchildren Hannah Berl, Matthew Berl, Benjamin Meece, Nicholas Berl, and Anna Meece; sisters-in-law Birgit Elliott of Longs, SC and Shirley Hargraves Berl of Bethesda, MD; nephew Robert M. Elliott of Longs, SC; nieces Marianna Oystese of Oslo, Norway and Kathleen Victorino of Bethesda, MD and cousin Lewey O. Gilstrap, Jr. of Washington, DC. Her husband of 58 years, LTC Herbert Berl, parents Thomas Collins and Lucy Mae Gilstrap Elliott, brothers Jesse B. Elliott, Virgil M. Elliott and sister Mary Frances Elliott predeceased her. On Wednesday, May 23, funeral services will take place at the Post Chapel at Fort Myer at 3 p.m. Burial in Arlington National Cemetery follows the service. Those attending should allow time for processing through Security before entering Ft. Myer. A reception for family and friends will be held at the Fort Myer's Officers' Club beginning at 4:30 p.m. Those wishing to may contribute to the NYU Langone Medical Center of Excellence on Brain Aging, the Washington National Cathedral, or Best Friends Animal Society in memory of Mildred Berl.Those wishing to may contribute to the NYU Langone Medical Center of Excellence on Brain Aging, the Washington National Cathedral, or Best Friends Animal Society in memory of Mildred Berl.