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Patrick Berger Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Patrick Berger
Michael Dulick
January 6, 2025
Pat was always a delight, and memory only serves to enhance our affection for him!
January 27, 2012
CAROLE AND FAMILY...WE SEND OUR CONDOLENCES, AND SHARE MEMORIES OF A MAN WITH AN ENGAGING PERSONALITY WHO HAD A DEEP LOVE FOR HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN. OUR FAMILY WAS BLESSED WITH HAVING YOU BOTH IN OUR LIVES. LOVE, HOWARD AND MARY GRANSBACH ( RED GATE NEIGHBORS)
Anne Klein
January 23, 2012
What a great teacher and human being! I so enjoyed his AP English class senior year at Parkway West!! I am offering many prayers for Dr Berger and his family.
Anne Gilfoil Klein Parkway West Class of 73
Steve Smith
January 23, 2012
Dr. Berger taught my Honors English class senior year, and he remains one of my all-time favorite and most respected teachers. With one conversation he inspired me to believe that I can succeed at anything I want to do. I will be forever grateful for the way he touched my life, and I am saddened to hear of his passing.
Steve Smith, DeSmet Jesuit class of 1995
Rick Lynch
January 17, 2012
I'm happy to say Dr. Berger's influence lives on. Last year my teenage daughter's friends gave her a daily calendar of Shakespeare's insults. Dr. Berger would have loved it. Her favorites are still posted on her bulletin board. Thanks for giving us so much, Dr. Berger.
David Beisel
January 17, 2012
One of the best, if not the best teacher I ever had as well as my favorite.
David Beisel, Parkway West class of 1975
Donna Dixon
January 17, 2012
Carol & Family,
I am so sorry for your loss. You are all in our thoughts and prayers. Patrick was one of the nicest guys I ever met. I only met him a few times but he made it a point to make you feel comfortable. May your memories keep you strong! God Bless. Tom & Donna Dixon
Colleen Long
January 16, 2012
Patrick was a wonderful uncle. Thank you for being a part of my life. I will miss you always. God love you.
Keith and Marie Jakle
January 15, 2012
Marie and I met in Dr. Berger's 12 grade honor's english. He was a gifted teacher who brought his love of teaching and his talents to us all. He brought archaic, irrelevant literature to us and made it important and meaningful. More than that, he taught us all that we could succeed and do well. He was a light in this world. We will miss him very much. We few, Doc.. We happy few, we band of brothers! Keith and Marie Jakle PSHS '80
Mary Mercer
January 14, 2012
I was very fortunate to have Dr. Berger at both Parkway West and at St. Louis University. I can honestly say he was one of the best teachers I ever had. He was a very kind, upbeat person who had a love of literature and was able to pass on that passion and encourage others to find and develop their talent.I think of his classes occassionlly when we discuss a book in my book club.Please accept my deepest sympathy.
Michael Dulick
January 14, 2012
Like my dear classmate Lou Caputo, also in these pages, I remember Pat the young Jesuit teacher from our days at SLUH around 1963. It was a great pleasure to be reunited with him as a colleague in Parkway many years later. I will confirm all the tributes from his students, for, even as a teacher myself, I learned everything I could from him. He was my model. And to see him at the College Church, well, he was my hero. God bless us for Pat's gifts to us, and may all who mourn him find consolation in his faith and the promise of the Resurrection. (The site does not list Honduras, where I presently live, so St. Louis will suffice!)
January 14, 2012
Pat and Carol Berger:
Beautiful human beings,outstanding teachers. I considered Pat a friend, as well as a gifted teacher, and knowing him was a great privilege.
Bill Cole, Metro College, SLU, 1976
Kristy Whipple
January 14, 2012
To Dr. Berger's family, please accept my sympathy upon his passing. He was a standout educator, and I was blessed to learn about Shakespeare from him in Honors English my senior year of high school. When Shakespeare or some of the other classic novels we read in his class come up in conversation today, I'm always a little sad that everyone didn't have Dr. Berger to make the pages come alive for them too. He was a truly gifted teacher and a delightful human being.
Kristy Valentine Whipple, PSH 1988
Death is the end of every worldly pain. (The Knight's Tale)
SMGS PSH ' 85
January 14, 2012
Thank you Dr. Berger for your kindness, sympathy, and your love of literature (and of life). Your influence is profound and you will not be forgotten. Thoughts and prayers to your family and friends. Congratulations sir on a life well lived.
Patti Eischen
January 14, 2012
I for one owe him a huge debt; he encouraged me to write and pursue it as part of my career. I write today because of him; he gave so many wings to fly. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. God's blessings on you all.
Patti Eischen, Parkway West, '76
Nancy Solomon Desloge
January 14, 2012
What a remarkable teacher he was! I had Pat Berger for Challenge English as a Parkway West senior. He instilled in me a passion for writing that has served me well. I'll never forget how he made Macbeth come alive during his reading of the witches scene. Dr. Berger was kind, set high expectations and helped many of us find our voice. He touched many lives, which I hope brings his family comfort.
Guy Selbert
January 14, 2012
Our son studied with Dr. Berger at Parkway South and the teacher remains a force in his life today. He was a truly gifted man. He had his students write something every day, which is one of the best habits that can be encouraged. He taught kids how to organize their thinking, all too often a rare commodity.
"Gladly would he learn, and gladly teach."
Guy Selbert - Parkway Central - 64
Dave Gilbert
January 14, 2012
A live well-lived. Condolences to the entire family.
Dave Gilbert, Parkway West '71
Rita Oglesby
January 13, 2012
I remember the day Mr. Berger came into Challenge English class after he had been notified that he had completed his Ph.D requirements. He never did talk about it but somehow the word had gotten around school that day. We immediately started calling him Dr. Berger and he would grin with a twinkle in his eye. We had many gifted teachers at Parkway West those first three years of its existence, and he was certainly one of the very best. I still have trouble writing an essay on one page with one inch margins.
Rita Meiners Oglesby Parkway West 1971
Doug Brooks
January 13, 2012
Dr. Berger was my 12th grade English teacher at Parkway West way back in 70-71. He was at the beginning of a long tradition at West of tremendous teachers. May his family take solace in the knowledge that he touched many lives.
Christina Licata
January 13, 2012
Dear Carol, Catherine, Patrick and Anne-Marie,
I am so sorry to hear of Patrick's passing. He was a wonderful, kind and caring man. I know he loved his family very much.
You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Chris Licata
Jessica Royer Ocken
January 13, 2012
Dr. Berger is a big part of why I am a writer today. I am so thankful to have been in his class at Parkway South, as he taught me so much and gave me the confidence to pursue what I truly enjoy. His life was a gift to so many, and my thoughts are with his family right now.
Steve & Kari Cook
January 13, 2012
Those we love don't go away,
They walk beside us every day,
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
Still loved, still missed and very dear.
Linda Swank
January 13, 2012
I will never forget Dr. Bergers thunderous voice and twinkling eyes. His bursting enthusiasm allowed me to fully understand Shakespeare. I can say with utmost certainty that he was the best teacher I have ever had, and I am grateful for the privilege to have been one of his students at PSouth. I pray for his family at this time.
David Landis
January 13, 2012
I will always remember Dr. Berger. He told me to analyze Edward Albee's "Tiny Alice," but I was worried that I wasn't up to the challenge. He'd be pleased to know that he gave me a life-long love of literature and theatre. . .we just saw Tennessee Williams' "The Two-Character Play" last night in San Francisco and I doubt I would have had the appreciation without Dr. Berger's able mentorship. A great way to honor one of the best teachers around.
Stefanie (Wallace) O'Neill
January 13, 2012
Dr. Berger was the best teacher I ever had. Sitting in his class 6th hour every day of my senior year was a pleasure and an inspiration. He made everything we read come alive for us. My thoughts and prayer are with you at this difficult time
Nina Bender Bossert
January 13, 2012
Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.
William Shakespeare
I had the privilege of being one of Dr. Berger's students at Parkway South in the late 1970s. Scarf dramatically around his neck and Chaucer in hand, he had the great gift of being able to capture our attention,instilling in us that great writing was not dull, but full of life's adventures.
He challenged us all to work harder, write better, read more.
It's been over thirty years, but to this day I wonder how we pimply-faced, hormone challenged teens had the great good fortune to have such an excellent instructor at the high school level.
He is fondly remembered and will be missed.
Steve Judd
January 13, 2012
No one better than Dr. Berger. He was an awesome AP English teacher, and a verbally inspiring football coach ("Boys... 'vehement ferocity!' Play with vehement ferocity!"). - Steve Judd, Parkway South, Class of 1987
Kathy Brickey
January 13, 2012
Carol and family, my prayers are with you at this difficult time. Kathy Goessling Brickey
Karin Scholz Grace, Karin Scholz Grace, Parkway South '79
January 12, 2012
He gave his honours to the world again,
His blessed part to heaven, and slept in peace.
Henry VIII, Act IV, scene 2
Thank you, Dr. Berger, for all you taught me, and for instilling in me a love of literature (especially the Bard). You will be remembered with gratitude, admiration, and love.
Kelly Davis
January 12, 2012
Dr. Berger was one of the best teachers I ever had. He made my senior year a Parkway South even more memorable. He has been a role model in my own career as an educator. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
Jason Kemlage
January 12, 2012
It was an honor and a pleasure, thank you for all the knowledge and the laughs.
Jessica McGuire
January 12, 2012
Dr. Berger was my father's English teacher when he was a student at Parkway West. I did not have him because he left Parkway South my freshman year. My father, 40+ years removed from high school, still remembers his class and remembers being introduced to the writings of one of his favorite authors (Thomas Hardy). My dad learned to love reading from Dr. Berger and as a result, my father passed that love of reading to myself and my sister. I thank you, Dr. Berger, on behalf of my father and my family. You made not only a difference in my dad's life, but also a difference that was passed to a generation. This is why people become teachers...
Michela Walsh
January 12, 2012
Thoughts and prayers to the Berger family. May the love of family and friends surround you during this difficult time.
Jan and David Sauer
January 12, 2012
To Pat and the whole Berger extended family, We are so sorry for your loss. Please accept our heartfelt sympathy.
Tracy (Garrett) Witmer
January 12, 2012
My sympathy goes out to all of Dr. Berger's family. May God provide some peace to you at this sad time. He was one of the most passonate and wonderful teachers I ever had. I was a student of his at Parkway South in the 80's and like his other students have attested, his memory lives on in all of us.
Tracy, Parkway South, '82
Mary Bewig
January 12, 2012
One of the best teachers I've ever known. He made Irish Studies come alive.
Matt Genne'
January 12, 2012
Patrick Berger inspired me to become an English teacher myself. Twenty-five years ago, I was a student in his class at Parkway South. I entered Dr. Berger's room as the prototypical angry young man. But after a few days, he was showing me how to turn my restlessness into a zeal for literature and language.
I remember the day he really got my attention: he called me out for trying to bluff my way through questions about The Canterbury Tales. After that, I never failed to read the assignment again; hell, I read ahead. Like a great coach, he had a fire in his belly that moved us to work harder. I remember how tough it was to get a high mark on his Friday in-class essays. I still prize every one of the papers he graded, each a small victory that gave me the confidence to dig deeper the following Friday.
And he taught me one final lesson. During a break from college, I stopped by his room to say hello before his next class. As always, he was kind, and funny, and happy to see me, but it seemed like his mind was on something else. As I said goodbye, I wondered, had I missed something? I had. Later I realized he'd had half an eye on his students the whole time I was there. Because Dr. Berger was that wonderful teacher for whom teaching is a true calling, and in the classroom he lived for his students and the tasks he set before them. His mind was always exactly where it needed to be.
A few years later, when I had my own classroom, I tried to convey to my students the same joy he instilled in me, although I'm sure I was a poor imitation of the man himself. Patrick Berger changed my life for the better. There was none other quite like him. I'll always be in his debt.
Beth and Terry Utterback
January 12, 2012
To Anne Marie and the entire family...we are sending lots of prayers and love your way. We know he will be greatly missed.
Love, Beth and Terry
Janice Bragg
January 12, 2012
Dr. Berger gave us a love for the classics. He taught us so much about literature and life. I will always remember he wanted to give me a lower grade than I had earned because he knew I hadn't read the material. He gave me the higher grade and said "you paid close attention in class" He will be missed greatly by all who knew him. May his family find comfort in knowing he touched so many lives. We should all have such a legacy.
Brandon Otto
January 12, 2012
Doc Berger was a fantastic teacher and an amazing man. Grant unto Your servant Patrick, O Lord, blessed repose and eternal memory.
Brent Irvine
January 12, 2012
Dr Berger was one of my English teacher in High School. He made literature come alive - and it felt like we were all discovering some of the books and authors together. He helped forge a lifetime of love of reading and learning in me, and while there is no way I could have sufficiently paid him back - I feel very grateful for what he gave.
Stephanie Edwards
January 12, 2012
It is hard to imagine a world without his smile and laugh in it. My heart and prayers are with the Berger family as well as the hundreds of people whose lives he touched who will grieve this loss.
Lou Caputo
January 12, 2012
I had the pleasure of being taught English by Pat at SLUH back in the 60's.
A good, kind and intelligent man who taught with real emotion. It was very painful to read of Pat's demise. My condolences to Pat's wife, children and extended family.
Carrie Finnestead
January 12, 2012
I had the pleasure of Dr. Berger awaking the Honors English seniors at Parkway South in 85-86. Exploding into the classroom, jumping up on the desk and performing Hamlet or The witches from Macbeth, has to be the best performance I have ever witnessed!
We were all so blessed to be a part of the genius of his weaving of knowledge and information. Storytelling was like breathing for him. I hope he knows that I bound in with great energy to my morning classes and rouse the sleepy heads with stories of the artists, prostitutes and others of bright character while imparting history and facts.
Thanks Berger! Generations to come will have your influence through those of us who have followed in your wake. You will never be surpassed or forgotten
Annie Mansfield
January 12, 2012
What a wonderful man he was. I feel blessed to have met him. Thoughts and prayers to the family.
Kiki Chavez
January 12, 2012
Patrick was a wonderful man. He will be missed forever. Our hearts are broken. Take comfort in knowing that he had a wonderful life. Love always, Kiki and family
January 12, 2012
Our deepest sympathies in your time of sorrow.
Love,
Jeffrey, Amy and Carter Giroir
Pattie Wilson Reitz
January 12, 2012
I had the great privilege of sitting in Dr. Berger's English 4 classroom at Parkway South High School (1986-87). It is in large part because of his great love of, and passion for, literature and writing that I became a high school and college English teacher. May his family find the peace that passes all understanding, and know that he is remembered with fondness from this student.
Mark Ribbing
January 12, 2012
Dr. Berger was an outstanding teacher in every way. He brought incredible passion, conviction, and humor -- as well as extraordinary knowledge -- to the classroom. He taught his students to question received wisdom, and to seek deeper truths. Everywhere I have gone in my own career, this guidance has stayed with me. I've had the good fortune of learning from a lot of fine teachers and professors. Some almost matched him as day-in, day-out classroom instructors -- none surpassed him. Thank you for teaching us, Dr. Berger.
Steve Kelley
January 12, 2012
I had the pleasure of taking Dr. Berger (Doc Berger, as we called him) for Honors English II at DeSmet in '99-'2000. We loved his spirit and dry wit. Hearing his booming "GEEENTLEMEN!" to get us to quiet down did a remarkable job of calming us down, and his forcing us to study vocab for the upcoming SAT was invaluable to those of us who took. Godspeed, Doc Berger.
Judi McCabe
January 12, 2012
Dr. Berger taught me honors English 1980-1981 at Parkway South. I had just moved to St. Louis my senior year and had a hard time adjusting. He helped me adjust to all the changes by getting lost in the wonderful world of literature. He made a difference in my life. My sympathies to the entire family.
Judi Jamieson McCabe
Ted Faulhaber
January 12, 2012
Dr. Berger was an unbelievable inspiration to countless students and teachers and anyone else who ever encountered his kindness, wit,humor, and intellect. He was an absolute legend.
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