In Memory

Charles Berry VIEW PROFILE

Charles Berry

DOD:    1-20-2019



 
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02/04/19 01:27 PM #1    

Linda Akerson (Towne)

This blows me away.  Even though Charles and I weren't related, we might just as well have been, as our families were extremely close.  The first our mother's knew we were in the same class at school was when I came home and complained that "Charlie was pulling my pigtails"!  His parents were like my aunt and uncle and I loved them dearly, even if Charlie was the biggest tease in the world.  He greeted me at one family party as, "Well, who's this old lady?".  His wife was appalled, until I assured her I understood where it came from entirely:).- it was Charlie's way of telling me he was glad to see me!  He went to Gustavus and I went to Macalester and I would go watch him swim at swim meets when the Gusties came to Mac.  Couldn't help but cheer for "the other  side" on those days:)!. He was a truly intelligent chemist! I will miss just knowing he exists in the world.  My deepest sympathy to his family.

 


02/05/19 04:35 PM #2    

Leonard Bjeldanes

         I’m sorry to see that we’ve lost another dear friend of my youth, Chuck Berry. I had a great chat with him at a recent reunion and we promised to get together at his place in Bend “real soon”.

Chuck was a big part of my youth. He was the star pitcher for our 42 St. Merchants park league baseball team, and I enjoyed catching for him. He had good control on his curve and fast ball, and the speed of his fastball didn’t scare me like Randy Bundy’s did.

Chuck and I and Frank Kleckner spent many a warm spring and summer afternoon playing tennis at Hiawatha park starting in junior high. Frank got really good and became one of the best singles players in the state in high school. Chuck and I teamed up in doubles and got pretty good, too, going to the state finals in our senior year. We lost the state championship match to a pair of duffers whose game was all defense. The strategy worked for them though. Chuck and I got so frustrated with their continual dink shots that we got mad and lost focus on our own shots. Before we knew it, the match was over and we couldn’t believe how we lost to those turkeys. The experience of that disaster was burned into our memories.

I lost track of Chuck for many years after graduation and then found it interesting that we both had advanced degrees and life-long careers in chemistry. I wonder if his interest in chemistry was kindled like mine was by our  youthful rocket experiments in my garage?  Also interesting is the fact that he was involved in Krusteaz manufacture. This has been the favorite brand of waffle mix of my family for decades.

I regret not taking that trip to Bend and I’ll miss Chuck. My sincere condolences to his family.

 

--Len Bjeldanes


02/07/19 12:51 PM #3    

Randall Bundy

I was saddened by the news that Chuck had passed away.  I have a lot of the same memories about Chuck, Frank, Len and the baseball team.  As a psychologist  for the past 43 years, I have learned some things about the brain.  The brain can't tell the difference between what you experience through your five senses and what you imagine in your mind.  When I read about one of our classmates that have passed away, I stop and spend some time with them.  Many people will feel those who have passed are no longer alive but I say they are.  They will live as long as we hold them in our minds and hearts.

Randy Bundy     


02/08/19 11:07 AM #4    

Linda Akerson (Towne)

Amen to that, Randy.  No one truly is gone as long as someone is alive who remembers them!

Linda


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