Dennis Berger

DENNIS BERGER

Wellman

Dennis Dean Berger died Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, at age 77, with his family at his side.

Dennis was born April 3, 1938, near Wellman, Iowa, the son of Henry J. and Elma (Ruegsegger) Berger. He graduated valedictorian from Wellman High School in 1956 and served in the Iowa National Guard. On Dec. 11, 1960, he was united in marriage to Janice Y. Gascho at Asbury United Methodist Church in Wellman. Dennis had lived in the Wellman community all of his life, where he worked for a brief time at Proctor & Gamble, Iowa City, and began farming in 1960. Dennis farmed his entire life and was an early adopter of conservation practices of no-till and cover crops. He enjoyed improving farms through surface and subsurface drainage, building 15 miles of tile inlet terraces and took pride in having a tiling machine on the farm every year he farmed for 55 years.

He was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church, where he served on many committees and boards. He was a member of Iowa Farm Business and Mississippi Valley Farm Business Associations, serving as president; Farmers Coop board, Keota; Washington County Farm Bureau board; Washington County Extension Council; 4-H crop production leader; Kirkwood Community College Agriculture Advisory board; Mid-Prairie Athletic Boosters; Wellman Rotary Club, Paul Harris Fellow, hosting many Rotary exchange students; Iowa Soybean Promotion Board secretary; and charter member of the Washington County Corn/Soybean associations.

Dennis was named Iowa Master Farmer in 1996 by Wallaces Farmer. Dennis helped as fund raiser for the Wellman Parkside Activities Center and Iowa State University Research Farm at Crawfordsville.

He is survived by his wife, Janice of Wellman; two sons, Steven (Julie) Berger of Wellman and Terry (Pati) Berger of West Des Moines; and two grandchildren, Shea Berger and Judd Berger.

He was preceded by his parents; a brother, Harlan Berger; and sister-in-law, Diane Berger.

Celebration of Life services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Asbury United Methodist Church, Wellman. Pastor Moody Colorado will officiate. Burial will be in Wellman Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday, Nov. 2. Family will greet friends from 4 to 8 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home, Wellman.