Payne Co. OK. obit for: Billie David Berger *********************************************************************** Posted to Payne Co. OK Archives 5/31/2003 http://www.usgwarchives.org/ok/payne/payne.html Submitted by: Bill Cook, County Archivist, billcook44@aol.com Thanks to http://www.stwnewspress.com/ for permission to upload their obits to the USGenWeb Archives. Copyright, http://www.stwnewspress.com/ Return to Payne County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.org/ok/payne/payne.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm ========================================================================== 5/25/2003 Billie David Berger Billie David Berger, 83, of Yale, died Thursday, May 22, 2003, at the Veteran's Hospital in Muskogee. Services will be held in the Yale High School Gymnasium May 27 at 10 a.m. with Michael Clark officiating. Burial will be in Lawson Cemetery in Yale under the direction of the Yale-Palmer Funeral Home. He was born on May 31, 1919, in Yale in the home of his parents, Edward James Berger and Adah Lucy Botts Berger. Berger, one of Yale's most celebrated and active citizens, graduated from Yale High School. He joined the Navy in 1940 and was on board the U.S.S. Honolulu at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7,1941 during the infamous Pearl Harbor Attack that marked America's entrance into World War II. He married Twylla I. Briggs on October 12, 1942, in Carson City, Nev., then returned to active duty and served until the end of World War II. Subsequently, he wrote a book about events at Pearl harbor entitled "Lest We Forget." He left the Navy in 1945 and received degrees from both Oklahoma City and Oklahoma State Universities. He began work with a major gas company in pipelining and compressor stations. He was invited to design the electrical system for a college in Ethiopia. While there, he and his wife were invited to participate in the Silver Jubilee Fair for Emperor Haillie Selassie of Ethiopia and were invited to dine with the emperor. He later worked in both Libya and Kuwait in oil production and refining then became an independent producer. After his career in petroleum, Bill went on to teach at OSU for many years. He also collaborated with Ken Anderson and wrote thirteen books. Berger returned to Yale and lived in his home for the last thirty years of his life. Berger also had a small career in entertainment. He appeared in movies like "Twister," a music video in a song by Christian singer Carman, some commercials for television, and PBS programs for television in Tulsa. Berger was a member of the First Christian Church-Disciples of Christ, the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Last Man's Club, and National Association of Corrosion Engineers, and is listed in "Who's Who in the World." A point of extra pride and honor for Berger and his wife was being asked to serve as Grand Marshals of the Yale Centennial Parade in 2002. He was predeceased by his parents; his brother DeWitt Berger; and his sister Edna Parks. He is survived by his beloved wife of sixty years, Twylla, in their home at Yale; his son Boise David and his wife, Terri, of Ocala, Fla.; his daughter, Nancy Gwynn Rano and her husband, Peter, of Yale; and his daughter Kay Lynn Fritchman and her husband, Jack, of Yale; the pride of his life, his grandchildren, Sharif Fritchman and his wife, Shelli, Patrick Rano, Jennifer Rano, Jessica Rano and Trevor Fritchman, all of Yale, and Austin Berger of Ocala, Fla.; and special great-grandson Dalton Fritchman and great-granddaughter Lynzi of Yale. He is also survived by his sister, Lillian Anderson of Mount Pleasant, Mich., and many loving nieces and nephews. *********************************************************************** This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. Copyright c 2003 by the submitter noted above. ***********************************************************************