Barbara Berger

Barbara went to be with the Lord on November 1, 2019 at 84 years of age. Born in 1935 in Berlin, Germany, she was the only child of Ivan and Pauline Steele of Kansas. She is survived by four children: Robert (Becky) of Chico, William (Susan) of Grass Valley, Katie (Walt) of Jacksonville, OR, & David (Marni) of NJ; & 13 grandchildren: Alli & Jilli; Jake & Nick; Christian, Katrina, Caleb, Christa, Ian, Isaac, Iliana, & Ilisha Cheshire; & Roman, all whom she adored. Her father graduated from KU Med School, married h.s. sweetheart Pauline, and commissioned in the U.S. Public Health Service after residency. From Staten Island, they sailed to Germany, where Barbara spent her first year of life. She enjoyed relating the story of her parents watching Jesse Owens run in the 1936 Olympics. They later lived across the U.S. from D.C to Chicago, Kentucky, Missouri & to the S.F. Presidio, where her dad often coasted downhill to ration gas. It was Durham where she later found her "roots" & loved her rural community. Upon graduating, Barbara studied art at KU & Missouri State. In 1958, she went "west" & met her husband, Ed Berger, in Southern CA. Upon his retirement from LAPD in 1972, they initially bought 15 acres of almonds in Durham & soon loved the country life. Grateful for the blessing of raising a family in Durham, she wouldn't have traded it for the world. Barb volunteered at Durham Elementary School & eventually was Joan Tilley's 4th & 7th grade aide before moving to CSU, Chico as Admin Secretary to the Dean of the Grad School. She served as President of PTS, Sports Boosters & American Legion Auxiliary, served with DPRD, & volunteered at the Patrick Ranch. She co-chaired the Almond Blossom Run, founded the "Communicator", was a long-time Women's Club and Adobe Church member, & "Woman of the Year" in 2007. If you needed a poster or a church bulletin, Barb was always happy to bless others with her wonderful art skills. She loved singing the oldies with friends at karaoke & her beloved hymns. Childhood bedtime songs & her wonderful singing renditions of birthday phone calls will be dearly missed by her family. Memorial services are pending. Donations may be made to Durham Adobe Church or MAF (https://www.maf.org/). You are loved and missed beyond words, dear Mom. "God has wiped away all your tears" Revelation 21:4