Earl was born March 21, 1917 at Bode, Iowa. He was raised

and educated at Bode. He graduated from Luther College in

1938, received a masters degree from Drake University in 1948 and his PhD in school administration from the University of Iowa in 1967.

In 1942 he was united in marriage to Irene Heller at The Little Brown Church at Nashua. He began his career as principal and teacher at Frederika Public Schools, then served as superintendent of schools at Frederika from 1940 to 1942. During WWII he was a special agent in the Counter Intelligent Corps. Following his discharge, he returned to Frederika until 1947. He was superintendent at Seymour Public Schools from 1947 to 1957, Clear Lake Community Schools from 1957 to 1967 and Fort Dodge Community Schools from 1967 until his retirement in 1983.

He is survived by his wife, Irene; five daughters and their husbands, Sandy and Jim Champion, Sioux City, Iowa, Jerrie and Denny Ellis, Littleton, Colo., Jeanne and Nick Daniel, Fort Dodge, Jan and Bonnie Miller, Crystal Lake, Ill., Jo and Mike Magnussun, Overland Park, Kan.; 12 grandchildren; and a brother, B.C. Berge, Garner, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by a son, Tom Berge; parents, Tom and Mollie Berge; brothers, Harold and Ernie; and a sister, Thelma Tonderum.

Dr. Earl O. Berge, 85, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, died Jan. 30,

2003, at Tompkins Memorial Health Center in Fort Dodge.

Services were Monday, Feb. 3 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church,

in Fort Dodge, with the Rev. David Grindberg officiating.

Interment was in North Lawn Cemetery in Fort Dodge.

Military honors were presented by V.F.W. Post No. 1856.

Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services,

Fort Dodge, was in charge of the services.

Memorials may be directed to the discretion of the family.