Silvia Margarita Berggren

Dr Silvia ''Margot'' Margarita Berggren passed away at her home, on August 15, 2025, after 96 years of a life well spent. As family matriarch and a lifelong teacher, she touched so many lives and will be missed for her quick-witted humor, wealth of knowledge, captivating stories, boundless love, and always available listening ear.
She was born to Manuel and Emilia (Gregory) Dominguez in Punte San Juan, Camaguey Province, Cuba on November 3, 1928. She lived in the small Sugar Mill town of Punta Alegre from birth until she married in 1955. She began her doctoral program at the University of Havana in Sep. 1947 and studied Physics & Chemistry until the University closed in 1952 for political reasons.
She returned to Punta Alegre and was hired in the Distillery of the Adelaida Sugar Mill to make alcohol for the Bacardi Company. The next season she was promoted to Head of the Control Laboratory for all six Sugar Mills owned by the Company. She was the first and only woman working at the Sugar Mill and a bathroom was special built just for her.
In 1955, she met and married the love of her life, Charles ''Chuck'' Berggren. Despite only dating for 3 months, they went on to be married 61 years, until Chuck's death in 2016. Together they had 5 children, 9 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and 1 great, great-granddaughter. In the late 1960s, their family grew exponentially when she and Chuck successfully brought out 10 members of her family from Cuba, all of whom lived with them 1-2 years until they could establish their own lives in the US. During that time Margot taught Chemistry for Nurses at Tyler Junior College.
In 1969, she went back to school to complete her interrupted Doctorate (from 1952). That decision resulted in the family's move to Greenville. Despite taking care of a growing family and her aging parents, Margot received her Doctor of Education in August of 1976. Her doctoral thesis was published in the March 1975 Journal of the American Chemical Society. After that she became known as Doctor B.
Starting in 1973, she taught Chemistry for 2 years at Southwestern Christian Junior College in Terrel, TX until the role of Chemistry Professor at Greenville High School became available.
She became Greenville High School's single Chemistry Professor in September 1975 and remained until her retirement in 1992. During her time there she grew the Chemistry program to offer Chemistry I, II and AP courses. She initiated the arrival of online learning into GHS from Texas' Region 10 Center. Prior to the formal offering of computer programming at the school, she brought PCs into the classroom and mentored students to write programs to aid in chemistry instruction for other students. In 1992, she was named one of the USA's 100 outstanding math and science teachers in the Tandy Technology Scholars Program.
After retirement, she still remained active in education by working for Texas' Region 10 to observe and evaluate science teachers in North Texas. She tutored nursing students in Chemistry through Paris Junior College and sometimes substitute-taught at Greenville High School.
She was an active member of St. Williams Catholic Church in Greenville and later, at Our Lady of the Lake in Rockwall, TX for many years. She was ordained as a Eucharistic Minister, sang with several church choirs, served as a song leader, and served extensively in the Hispanic ministry.
She was a gifted second soprano and sang publicly into her 80s. During her life, she performed as a member of various choral groups, as a church soloist and song leader, and in duos with her sister and her niece. At 95 her voice was still beautiful, and she still sang at family gatherings.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles ''Chuck'' Berggren, her parents Manuel and Emilia (Gregory) Dominguez; her sister, Maria Labrada and husband Nestor; her sister-in-law, Donna Druckenbrod and husband Ralph; her niece, Carol Ann Druckenbrod; and her nephews, Dale Durken and Fernando Labrada.
She is survived by her five children; daughter, Patty Courtman and husband Jeff of Wylie; son, Terry Berggren of Miller Grove; daughter, Polly Potter and husband Scott of Greenville; son, Thor Berggren and wife Mayra of Greenville; son, Eirik Berggren and wife Danielle of Miller Grove; grandchildren, Andrea Farnham and husband Matt, Julie Baack and husband Erric, Ethan and Noah Courtman, Chase Potter and wife Lydia, Travis Potter and wife Andrea, Brooke Lopez and husband Erick, Zara Ortega and Mia Berggren, Brass and Brennen Berggren; great-grandchildren, Jonathan Davenport, Amanda Carter, Mason Vasher, Skylar Farnham and fiancé Lee Cudahy, Ava Potter, Reese Lopez, Miles Potter, Ian Potter, Zoey Lopez, Emilia Potter, Violet Potter, Wyatt Baack, Scarlett Potter, Lyla Potter, Abbott Baack; and great-great-granddaughter, Autumn Cudahy.
She is also survived by her niece, Lucy Shaeffer and husband Dennis; niece Cheryl Ann Fill; nephew Dale Durken's widow Marsha; nephew Fernando Labrada's widow Loretta; 7 grandnephews; 2 grandnieces; 13 great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews; 2 great-great-grandnephews and 1 great-great-grandniece.
The family will celebrate her life privately. While she did not suffer from Alzheimer's, her mother did, and therefore it was her favorite charity. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association.