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.

I remember Mr. Berge well and thought he was a very good man. He had a fine family and I was saddened when I heard of his passing. He had gone on to Ft. Dodge as I remember, which was a loss for Clear Lake.

Once I recall that it was during phys ed he showed some of us some of his martial arts training, Ju Jitsu, As I remember he with one hand put me on my back. I did not know of his military career but certainly believe he would have been a credit to his country. In the last years of my college here in Iowa City I would run into him occasionally and we would have a beer or two at the Airliner. He came here during the summer session to work on his PhD.

We were blessed to have him in our school and to have known him. Jim Knapp CLHS 1958

I was saddened to learn of Mr. Berge's passing. He had a long and enviable career serving the communities and the country that he lived in. Few can say that they impacted the lives of so many people in so many ways as he did. He was easy to respect and like, willing to help when asked (when I needed a bit of assistance), patient and tolerant. He was another name on a long list of Clear Lake educators that made a difference in my life.

Karen and I wish his family continued happiness, health and prosperity. Don Stebbins - Class of '59

My memories of Mr. Berge were very good. If the school systems had more Mr. Berge's today there might not be as many problems as we have in the schools today. In conversations that I have with people today, I tell them that when I was in high school being sent to the principals office was terrible, but being sent to Mr. Berge's office was a fate worse than death. You never knew when Mr. Berge was going to be in the halls checking up on you.

I have a lot of conversations with Wayne Broers who graduated with us in 1963 about Mr. Berge. He lost his father when he was in his freshman year and Mr. Berge and Mr. Smith really helped him out with getting some money in to help he and his mother. Most people did not see that side of Mr. Berge, but in Wayne's eyes Mr. Berge was a GREAT guy. I would concur with that too. Charlie Zirbel Class of '63