Andrew Berg

Deacon Andrew H. Berg, 74, of Bradley, died Saturday (Aug. 15, 2009) in the emergency room at Riverside Medical Center, Kankakee. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. Thursday until the 7 p.m. celebration of the funeral Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Bradley, where he was a member and Deacon. Father William Dewan will officiate. Burial will be in All Saints Cemetery, Bourbonnais. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made for his grandchildrens' education or to the Kidney Transplant Association. He had received a kidney from his granddaughter. Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, Bourbonnais, is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Berg was a retired employee of American Spring Wire. He was born Aug. 18, 1934, in Kankakee, the son of William and Cora Saffer Berg. He was a 1952 graduate of St. Patrick High School and his wife, Carol, graduated from Grant Park High School in May of 1955. They met Oct. 23, 1953. He volunteered for the U.S. Army in February 1954, received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., cryptology training in Camp Gordon, Ga., and was a cryptologist in Com-Center (16 months) at Fort Sheridan. He also served in Korea. He was discharged in February 1956. His first job was a substitute paper boy for his brother, Ed (1941); he had his own paper route in fifth grade (1945); freshman through senior year he worked in mailing room at a daily newspaper (1948-1952); then worked at Mortell's; Romy Hammes Tractor Sales; Canteen; A.O. Smith; Roper Corp. Kankakee Division; carpenter; D.R. Howard Construction; Armour Edible Oil; American Spring Wire; Super Wash; and Walgreens. In late 1963 he started hanging drywall with Bruce Carmitchel. He built garages for Troup Lumber Company, homes in Hopkins Park for Martin & Spivey, laid hardwood floors for Martin & Spivey and in 1970 started taping drywall. His first home was on West Station in Kankakee, then Park Lane Drive in Grant Park, Longwood Drive in Kankakee, Cardinal Drive in Bourbonnais and East Juniper Lane in Bradley. He had built his home in 1958 on Park Lane Drive in Grant Park and then built his home on Cardinal Drive in 1968. He had been a coach for Grant Park Little League and a basketball coach for St. Patrick in Momence. He was a member of the Holy Name Society at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Momence, where he was also on the census drive; a 14-year member of the St. George School Board; president of the Holy Name Society at St. George Church, Bourbonnais; CCD teacher and lector at St. George Church and chairman of the St. George Parish Picnic. He was a board member of the Bourbonnais Bears Football League; coach for Bourbonnais Bears Peewee Squad Football League; board member of Bradley-Bourbonnais Little League (2 years player agent for league); and coach/manager Bradley-Bourbonnias Little League (American Legion, Rudolf, Dairy Queen). He was president of Bishop McNamara Parents Club; a member of Bishop McNamara School Board; 15 years active member of Madcaps (three years co-chairman and two chairman); 20 years Bishop McNamara Sunday Bingo; chain gang for Mac football; spotter for Mac football (home games); and "Volunteer of the Year in Education" (Junior Service League) nominated by Bishop McNamara. He was named "Knight of the Year" for Council 745 Knights of Columbus, Kankakee; and worked at Tuesday Night Bingo at K of C (approximately 30 years). He was a member of the Parish Council at St. Joseph Catholic Church; Parish Picnic Chairman; CCD Teacher, Lector, and Eucharistic Minister. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, 3rd Degree. He visited the sick and homebound. He was ordained Permanent Deacon in September 2001 at St. Joseph Church. Surviving are his wife, the former Carol E. Howard, whom he married July 7, 1956, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Momence; two sons, Scott Berg of Chicago, Timothy Berg of East Dundee; four daughters and two sons-in-law, Paula and Robert Curwick of Bourbonnais, Michelle Berg of Crete, Trisha and Tim Speckman of Kankakee, Janel Berg of Bonfield; eight grandchildren, Danel Berg, Jordan and Taylor Chandler, Andrew, Corbin and Mallory Curwick, Colin and Tyler Berg; one sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Bill Henricks of Kankakee; three sisters-in-law, Geraldine Marth of Gamaliel, Ark., Martha Ann Howard and Shirley Howard, both of Bourbonnais; and many nieces and nephews. Deceased are his parents; one sister, Rita Berg; one brother and sister-in-law, Edward and Marilyn Berg; and four brothers-in-law, Russel, Duane, James and F. Richard Howard.

Andrew Berg

August 18, 1934 - August 15, 2009