Norma Jean Berg

Longtime Anchorage, Alaska, resident Norma Berg passed away peacefully at home on Oct. 14, 2018. She was born in Oakland, Calif., in 1929, and grew up in the area, eventually attending business college and working for various companies in administrative roles. She met the love of her life, Dean Berg, at a dance at the German House in Oakland, and they dated for several years before marrying in 1952. Together they pursued an adventurous life together, raising five sons along the way. They spent two years in Frankfurt, Germany, where Dean served as an Air Force officer and they gave birth to their first son, Mark. They later moved back to California, where they had four more sons: Randy, Brad, Larry and Tim. In 1969, Norma and Dean decided to pack up their sons and move from Oakland, Calif., to Anchorage, where Dean became a news anchorman, and Norma became an administrative assistant for Atlantic Richfield Company in Anchorage, and later an accounting assistant on the North Slope. Norma loved animals and, over their years in Anchorage, the Berg family cared for a menagerie of exotic pets, including dogs, cats, rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, doves, tropical fish, snakes, lizards, alligators and even a seagull. The Berg boys were never wanting for animal companions growing up. Norma also loved to camp and fish, and she, Dean and their boys would spend several weeks every summer camped out at Rocky Lake, swimming and boating and cooking food over a campfire. She loved to join her sons on fishing trips, whether it was trying to reel in a halibut as big as she was or dip netting for salmon on the Copper River. More than once her sons had to tie a rope around her to make sure her enthusiasm for dip netting didn't result in a swim down the river. She was always among the last ones to leave the campfire at night, and some nights she would just drag her sleeping bag out and sleep by the fire. Dean became a very well-known and respected public figure in Alaska, as a newsman, public relations figure and civic leader, and Norma was his biggest supporter. Her energy, gracious attitude and unswerving love and support were instrumental in the many civic contributions that Dean was able to make over the decades they spent together in Alaska. Her husband of almost 60 years passed away in 2012, and Norma spent her remaining years focused on the simpler joys in life. One of her sons, Randy, became her full-time caregiver, and that allowed her final years to be comfortable and carefree. One of her favorite things to do was to take an RV trip up to her favorite camp spot in Willow with one of her dogs, Buddy or Jager, perched on her lap, and she also enjoyed just sitting out in the sun on her deck gazing at the mountains. Norma was a beautiful, gracious and caring personality who was adored by everyone who knew her. Her kindness, ready humor and love of family and friends has left us all better for having had her in our lives. She is survived by her five sons and their families, including Mark Berg of Anchorage, Randy Berg of Anchorage, Brad Berg and his wife Ramona Rolle-Berg of Conroe, Texas, Larry Berg and his partner Christina Diaz of Anchorage and Tim Berg and his wife Sylvia Berg of Anchorage; and by 12 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. Per her and Dean's wishes, their ashes are going to be spread together over the mountains they loved so much. The family is planning a celebration of her life in the spring