Doris Ann Berger

DORIS ANN (STROHL) BERGER,

Doris was a public-school speech therapist, starting her career in Wisconsin in the ‘60s and ending her long career of service with the Maple River school district in 1998 when she retired. While she was passionate about her career that was dedicated to helping children, she was best known for the things she did outside of her job.

Doris was a Minnesota farm woman through and through, learning about hard work and service from her parents, Joseph and Gertrude Strohl. She was raised and died on the farm her grandparents moved to in 1911 which was on the west side of Lake Elysian. There was always something to do on the farm: weed the garden, feed the chickens, bake bread, can the produce from the garden, put dinner on the table, or sew a new dress for anyone who needed one. She was a 4-H’er who took her creations to the Fair and participated in all the activities offered.

After graduating from Janesville High School in 1956, Doris earned a degree in education at Mankato State College and then went to the University of Kansas to study speech pathology. It was there that she met Jerry Berger. They married in 1964 and returned to the farm in Waseca County, where they helped on the farm. Their daughter, Johanna, was born shortly after they returned to Minnesota and a few years later, Sarah arrived. Jerry died in 1969; Doris raised her daughters as a single mother. And while times could be tough, she always found a way to expose them to theatre and art, believing they would enhance their lives for a lifetime.

Doris’s home in Mankato, Minnesota was always open to people and filled with activities. If you stopped by, there was sure to be coffee ready to pour, cookies coming out of the oven, a sewing project going on, and conversation about the affairs of the world taking place. She loved a good picnic and was always ready to pack all the leftovers in a basket and head to any of the local parks to meet up with friends.

Most important to Doris, though, was her belief that the world could and should be a kinder place, and she used her voice to invite others to join her. She showed up to peace demonstrations, wrote to elected officials, made calls, campaigned on behalf of every DFL candidate she could, and always, always voted. She challenged her kids to read and think critically, reminding them that if they weren’t part of the solution, they were part of the problem. She re-used and recycled everything she could, embracing the philosophy that new is rarely better.

Doris was able to stay in her home, which is precisely where she wanted to be, because of the care and kindness of Jody Wehking, who went above and beyond to provide Doris with love and support in the last year of her life. Jody was supported by Mallory, Ruth, Josh, Marcia, and others from Synergy home care. A thousand thank you’s to this group of caregivers.

For those who knew Doris, it is not surprising that she requested no funeral. Doris would rather have you do any or all the following: plant a garden, take in a stray animal, read a book, followed by another book, and support your public library. Bake cookies for a neighbor, invite both friends and strangers to dinner, and have coffee ready for company. Help a stranger, teach a child a new skill. Get involved in your community, donate to your local food shelf or historical society, and most importantly: vote and fight like hell for democracy.

Doris died at home with her beloved caregiver, Jody, by her side. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry; her parents, Joe and Gertie; her brother, Richard and sister-in-law, Judith. She is survived by her daughter, Sarah, and granddaughter, Lydia Campbell; daughter, Johanna Berger (David Dormont), and granddaughters Yael and Nehama Dormont; nieces Erica Strohl (Craig Oppegaard), Leah Hernandez, and great-nieces and great-nephews Zeke, Abigail, Jordan, and Ethan; all of the McDiarmid kids, and a huge circle of friends that is bigger than can be listed here, but know that she valued every single one of you.