William Norman Berson, II
William Norman Berson, II
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William Berson, II Obituary
June 1,1961 - July 16, 2024
William N. Berson passed away in Birmingham, AL, on July 16, 2024, surrounded by his family, after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Born in West Hartford, CT to June and Norman Berson, Will was the youngest of 3 boys. The family moved to Summit, NJ, summering in Lavallette, NJ along the Jersey Shore.
Will graduated from Summit High School and went on to get his undergraduate degree from Davidson College in North Carolina, while also on the intercollegiate sailing team, the varsity soccer team and being a member of the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) fraternity. Will earned his master's degree in environmental politics at The Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University.
Will had a long and illustrious career as an Environmental Advocate - including working under two NJ governors (Florio and Keane), and as an aide to NJ Senator Bill Bradley in Washington, DC. After that, he worked many years with the NJ Nature Conservancy and the Georgia Conservancy. Will was passionate about his environmental work, assisting in securing the longevity of the New Jersey shore dunes and saving numerous wildlife refuges in both NJ and GA.
When thinking about Will and his loves, the Jersey shore is where his happiness began. A lifelong summer resident of Lavallette, Will was a proud member of the Lavallette Yacht Club and the Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association. Will's love of sailing transcended his youth, and he brought that same dedication as a sailing instructor to many yacht clubs along Barnegat Bay including Island Heights, Mantoloking, and Bay Head.
With his husband, Harold, they made homes in Atlanta and Savannah, GA, finally settling in the farmland of Palmetto, Alabama, along with their menagerie of four dogs and a cat, making a beautiful home together.
Will was loved by all, and his quick wit and political punditry will be missed. He was a true and best friend.
Will leaves behind his husband, Harold Wilkins, his two brothers, Mark (Shauna) Berson and Steven (Marijke) Berson, his niece, Erin (Daniel) Byrnes, nephew, Luke (Caroline) Berson and his "grands" Lily and Reid Berson. He also leaves his aunt, Lois Lee Nelson, and numerous cousins across the country.
Will requested to have his ashes spread in the ocean waters off Lavallette, where his parents were laid to rest before him, in a private ceremony.
A Celebration of Life will be held on October 12th at the Lavallette Yacht Club, 1 Swan Point Rd, Lavallette, NJ from 4-8pm. Please contact Cindy Dughi at [email protected] if you would like to attend the Celebration of Life or for more local information for out-of-town friends and family.
Donations may be made in honor of Will to the following charities:
The Barnegat Bay Maritime Museum - www.barnegatbaymaritmemuseum.org
NPR - www.npr.org
Your local animal shelter
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
6 Entries
Ned Truslow
February 6, 2026
Will and I were close pals mostly in the 2nd and 3rd grades. We were in every class together from 1st to 6th at Lincoln Elementary in Summit, NJ. His gentle spirit and open kindness shone thru even then, at such an early age - so much so, that it has reverberated in my memories to this day, 60+ years later. We played "Star Trek" as Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock in his rec room, while the original NBC series aired on his television set in the background. I experienced the world of James Bond with Will when we attended a double feature of "You Only Live Twice" and "Thunderball" at the Summit Strand theatre. I was hooked on that series for the rest of my life, and yet, the memory of seeing Bond first with Will, and our geeking out about how cool it all was long after we left the theatre that day is still seared in my mind all these years later. I look back at that brief time with fond memories of a childhood friend who obviously went on to touch so many other lives with his inquisitive and benevolent nature. My belated condolences to Will´s husband and beloved friends and family.
Gary Drew
May 28, 2025
I´m so sorry for your loss. Will was my first boyfriend when I lived in Arlington, VA. I fondly remember the weekend we spent at the family home in Tom´s River plus many other things we did while together. We stayed in touch for a few years after our relationship ended. I´m saddened by his death and his suffering at the end.
Russ
August 15, 2024
Great sailor and friend. Will always remember his smile- from ear to ear
Russ
Alex Corcoran
July 22, 2024
I met Will in Lavalette, our paths crossed on many summers. One summer, I mentioned that my then-girlfriend was struggling to write a paper to accompany her application to a government position. The next morning, Will handed me an absolutely brilliant piece on the assigned subject; in-depth yet concise, fluid yet forceful, elegant in its simplicity without being superficial. Did she use it? NO! Why not? Because "I could never have written this! They'll see right through me in the interview!" And that was Will... brilliant and generous to a fault. We miss you.
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Barbara Vitelli
July 22, 2024
Sending condolences to all. Will and I go back to when my family first joined LYC in the 60s and our original gang of friends at LYC, throughout our high school years and during college. I spent many years sailing, hanging out, going on ski trips, and laughing with him. He was a better sailor than I was and I had to wait until he moved out of the Penguin class before I had any success.
Valerie Scarantino
July 22, 2024
I met Will through my college friend, Cindy. We shared many fun times in Lavallette. So, so smart and funny. And such a caring person. My condolences to all.
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