Lillian Margaret Berger's Obituary
Lil was born Easter Sunday, in Dubuque, Iowa, to Henry and Margaret Grothe. Lil was named after the Easter Lilly. She was born 3 months pre-mature and was so small her ‘crib’ was a cigar box. Lil was the 3rd of nine children. Lil lived her formative years in Iowa and Minnesota where she recalled fond memories of family life with her siblings and parents, frequent trips to the Mississippi River for fish and turtles, playing softball with her brothers, hopping freight trains to ride-the-rails, and eating salads made of dandelion greens. Times were tough for most people; Lil’s family was no different. At the age of fifteen, Lil and her siblings were separated from each other and lived in foster homes. As a young women, she took classes to fulfill a desire to become a nurse. This characterized who she was even though she did not complete the course. Lil moved to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, to live with her sister-in-law and help with her children, while her brother George served overseas in the military. There in Ft. Sill, Lil met her husband-to-be, Tom. They married soon after meeting. Their military life found them living mostly in Texas with a stay in Japan. The family moved to Florida in 1964. Lil was a faithful and devoted wife of 62 years, until Tom’s passing. Lil was Tom’s backbone, his strength; he voiced this many times. Lil was an Extender of Life. Lil was a simple woman who loved simple things. She found appreciation and pleasure in what others found to be of no use. Items that most people discarded, became decorations, surrounding her with memories and beauty as she captured them. CDs destined for the landfill hung from the ceiling of her screened patio. She enjoyed how the sunlight danced off the CDs in a rainbow of colors. She also loved to sit on the patio, blow bubbles, watch the sun set and enjoy a fresh awe of nature with Tom. Everyday items became useful many times over. She found continued use for items most people threw in the trash after using, like ziplock bags, wrapping paper, bows, envelopes, silver foil, empty cereal boxes, cool whip lids, etc. She was the original ‘recycler’, before it was the ‘green-thing’ to do. Lil had an ability to prolong the life of cut flowers for a month or more, by carefully tending to them every day. Lil delighted in caring for her plants and flower garden around their mobile home, bringing clipping inside her home to enjoy. Lil was a generous giver, stockpiling all sorts of items for whoever came to visit. You never left empty-handed; always a baked ‘goody’ (or 2 or 3 or 4) to take home with you. We will never forget her gum-drop cake! Likewise, Lil found value in all people. Even if it was the first time she met you, you wouldn’t get out of her presence without a hug, a kiss, and the sincere words, “I love you, and Jesus loves you.” Lil was a thankful woman who never let any act of kindness go unnoticed. Lil never let life get her down. She had the heart of a child. Everything was new. Everyone was trusted. Lil deeply loved her family. Her life was her husband and her children. Lil is survived by her seven children, Michael Berger and his wife, Nita, Shirley Berman, Barbara Winant and her husband, Robert, Susan Douglas, Therese Holzinger, Cecilia Wojochowski and Karen Fleming and her husband, Thomas; 15 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; brother Hank Goethe; sisters; Sally Sather and Bernadette (Mickey) Eiffler; many nieces and nephews, and her beloved dog, Cody. Her personal relationship with Jesus began around 1980. She truly trusted Him! She would say, “I don’t listen to the bad things”. Somehow, she was truly able to wipe them from her memory and treated everyone with divine acceptance and love. She never had anything bad to say about anyone. Lil leaves behind an example that is difficult to emulate. A woman of grace, and patience, her unconditional love was her trademark. A Visitation will be held 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM, Saturday, August 16, 2014 at Palm Beach Memorial Park Funeral Home, 3691 Seacrest Boulvard, Lantana, Florida 33462, (561) 586-1237. A Celebration of Life Service for Lillian M. Berger will be held 1:00PM on Saturday, August, 16, 2014 at Palm Beach Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel, 3691 Seacrest Boulevard, Lantana, Florida 33462 with Reverend Norm Speier of the Maranatha Bible Church officiating. Burial will follow in Palm Beach Memorial Park Cemetery, 3691 Seacrest Boulevard, Lantana, Florida 33462, (561) 585-64444. Online condolences can be shared at: www.palmbeachmemorial.com.
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