David Berger 

David has been a ‘disabled’ member of Council 10243 in recent months and his medical condition makes it impossible for him to do very much of anything, let alone participate in activities of the Council.  For some time now, he has suffered from a debilitative neurogenic disease similar to multiple sclerosis, which in his case has caused many of his organs to cease functioning.  He recognizes that his condition is terminal, and has been told by his physician that he has little time left to live.  While disease has ravaged him physically, he is very alert and engaging in conversation.  He looks at the reality of the situation and, given his experience as a funeral director a few years back, has gone to great lengths to plan his funeral and even has music and readers picked out. 

 

He came to the Knights of Columbus somewhere around 1972 in Algoma at the invitation of a friend and made the Third Degree in 1979 when he was a member of a Council at Clintonville.  His life has afforded him many experiences.  He worked at Preble State Bank in Green Bay at one point in his life, which subsequently changed its name to University Bank and currently Norwest Bank.  He always was interested in being a funeral director, and eventually made the decision to go back to school to learn how, though his wife was concerned about having three family members (two children and a husband) in school at the same time.  After being licensed as a funeral director he found himself in business at Clintonville and at Marion.  They sold the business in 1983 and moved to Arizona for health reasons.  One of David’s hobbies was collecting antiques and the move forced him to sell many of his things, though he has retained some of what he collected.  While in Arizona he continued his work as a funeral director and also got involved in real estate.  Because of the fact that businesses seemed to keep him on call all the time, he was not able to get too involved in activities of his Knights of Columbus Council, though at St. Rose Parish in Clintonville his Council handled bingo and he was in charge of that.  He handled the finances and felt great about being able to help the school through the bingo profits.  Nine years ago his disease struck and has taken its toll on him ever since.  He and his wife moved back to Green Bay in 1994 to be near their children, both of whom live in Clintonville.  It was around that time that they became associated with St. Bernard Parish.

 

David and his wife Norma will be married for thirty four years in November; they celebrated their wedding on Thanksgiving Day in 1963.  Although his disease has kept him from being a part of any of the activities of Council 10243, his courage in the face of such adversity is most admirable.  Our prayerful support is with him and his family at this difficult time.

 

November 1997