William Harold Berger

August 21, 1938 - July 28, 2020

William (Bill) Harold Berger passed away peacefully on July 28th, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of 81. He was preceded in death by his parents, David and Martha Berger (nee Berk). He is survived by his wife, Marsha, siblings, Rita (and Samuel) Nash, Lillian Berger (and Paul Nichola), and Sheila DelPico, brother-in-law, Samuel (and Rebecca) Flint, children, Stephen (and Linda) Berger and Elisa (and Jeff) Knudsen, grandchildren, Joshua and Rachel Immerman, Adam and Ethan Berger, and several nieces and nephews who loved him as Uncle Billy. Bill was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1938. He taught math at Coventry High School for 30 years in Rhode Island. As a committed advocate for teachers and students, he served as President of the Coventry Teachers Alliance for 27 years and Vice-President of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals for many years. He was a gifted negotiator and mentored hundreds of labor union leaders across the country on collective bargaining issues. Bill was nationally known for his impact on the contractual recognition of National Board Certified teachers. Bill was a kind and generous soul who gave so much to so many and loved others deeply. He inspired people around him to be more and give more of themselves. He was always the one who insisted on taking care of everyone else and celebrating every achievement regardless of how big, small or distance traveled. Upon retirement, Bill moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to be closer to his family and help raise his grandchildren. He was a domestic and world traveler, favoring the US National Parks and Paris, France. He was an avid golfer and loved spending time at the Rhode Island beaches, especially Narragansett and Scarborough Beach. ‘Poppa/Uncle Billy’ would introduce many children to the “friendly waves” of the cold Rhode Island waters. Bill was loved and adored as a son, husband, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, teacher, and friend. His legacy will live on in the hearts of a whole new generation of responsible, generous, kind and caring adults. Private graveside services will be held on Thursday, July 30, 2020. On behalf of Bill, memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association would be appreciated. https://act.alz.org/donate