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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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John Berge
JOHN C. BERGE
Cedar Rapids
John C. Berge, 86, of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse, Wis. Family will greet friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at
Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, with an additional visitation at 9:30 a.m. at St. James United Methodist Church, 1430 Ellis Blvd. NW, Cedar Rapids, on Wednesday. Services: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the church with a luncheon to follow. Burial: 1:30 p.m., with military rites by VFW Post 76 at Czech National Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Survivors include his children, Charley (Ruth) Phillips of Colona, Ill., Vera Stein of Bettendorf, Carole Schmidt and fiance Dave Stickley Sr., Patty (Rich) Magoon and Cathy (Robert) Monroe, all of Cedar Rapids, and John Carl Berge and fiancee Bridget Casey of Tennessee; 14 grand-children; 16 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and an aunt, Helen Borseth of Decorah.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Kay, in 2005; parents; grand-parents; granddaughter, Junae; and his dog, Peaches.
John was born May 14, 1929, in Decorah, Iowa, son of John and Clara (Nesset) Berge, and was raised by Carl and Annie Nesset. He graduated from Decorah High School in 1947. In 1948, he entered the U.S. Air Force, serving in the Korean War as a legal clerk. In 1951, he returned to Decorah after the war. John moved to Cedar Rapids, where he married Beverly Miskimen in 1953; they later divorced.
He went to work for Iowa-Illinois Gas and Electric, where he was in the gas explosion of 1959. After a long career with them, he retired. In 1967, he married Kathryn "Kay" Cole. John owned Two Star Detective Agency from 1979 until the Flood of 2008, which closed the doors of a lifelong career.
He was president and mayor of the Czech Village Association, a member of the Eagles Club, Classy Chassy Cruisers Car Club, president and secretary of Iowa State Reserve Law Officers Association, president of the Home Builders Association, lifetime member of VFW, American Legion, AMVETS and NRA. He also was a member of the Veterans Public Safety Unit where he was commander and chaplain for 25 years.
John enjoyed salmon fishing and car shows. John was an avid Hawkeye fan. He loved to dance and listen to polka music, but his greatest love was his family.
He was a member of St. James United Methodist Church for 62 years.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. James United Methodist Church.
Please share a memory of John at www.murdoch
funeralhome.com under obituaries.
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