Dean George Berg

"The purpose of life is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to make some
difference that you have lived and lived well." ---Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dean Berg is remembered with great affection by those fortunate enough to have known his essence of integrity and his boundless love for and pride in his family. The longtime resident of Fort Collins, Colorado, passed away in his home of natural causes at 94 years old.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska to Ingwald Odin and Frances Berg, he lived the greater part of his life in Fort Collins. He graduated from Ft. Collins High School in 1946 and upon graduation, joined the Navy, where he served on the aircraft carrier Midway. After his years of active duty, he joined the Inactive Naval Reserve and enrolled at Colorado State University, where he completed the ROTC program and upon graduation as a Business and Economics major in 1952, received his commission as a Navy officer.

He married his wife of 66 years, Barbara Patterson, in May of 1950 and they settled in Ft. Collins to raise their three daughters, Debbie, Linda, and Diane. Dean became a central figure in the downtown Ft. Collins business community, where he managed and then owned Hughes Mens' Wear. Through the succeeding years, he also managed Julian's and owned two campus clothing stores in addition to serving as President of the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Merchants' Association, and the Kiwanis Club.

Following the sale of his clothing businesses he returned to CSU for a second degree in Accounting and Management. Upon completion of the degree, he became a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner. He specialized in serving small businesses and individuals with accounting services and financial planning. Dean retired at age 85 from his accounting and financial consultancy practice to care for his wife at home.

Dean was the ultimate helper and facilitator, both in his professional and his personal lives. He found great meaning and purpose in serving his family, the organizations he worked with, and his many clients over the years. Dean cherished his wife and his girls and the vibrant life that they enjoyed in Ft. Collins. He thoroughly enjoyed supporting their many activities, and made sure that they were able to take advantage a variety of opportunities, from incredible road trip vacations, music lessons, sports, Girl Scouts and school projects, and he and Barbara enjoyed
the Colorado outdoors through hiking, cross-country and downhill ski trips. His legacy of love, learning, and hard work lives on in the lives of his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his children, Debbie Glaze (David) of Lake Oswego, Oregon; Linda Gutstadt (Don) of Centennial, Colorado; and Diane Zielke of Ft. Collins, as well as six grandchildren; Ryan Glaze (Shelley), Tyler Glaze (Laney), Lauren Gutstadt, Caitlin Gutstadt (Steve), Kiel Zielke (Jackie) and Courtney Zielke, as well as two great-grandsons and his sister, Jeanine Kiely of Ft. Collins. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara and his brother, Richard.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Bohlender Funeral Chapel is handling the local arrangements. Donations in Dean's honor may be made to Habitat for Humanity, Pathways Hospice or Seniors Helping Seniors of Ft. Collins