Jane Weinstein Berman

Dr. Jane Berman, Ph.D., beloved wife, mother, teacher, friend, and mentor, passed away on Tuesday morning, March 8, 2011 at the age of 59. A long-time resident of Stamford, Connecticut, Dr. Berman was the daughter of Dr. Morris Weinstein, a dentist in the Stamford area, and Mrs. Roslyn Weinstein, a writer on the popular television series Howdy Doody and member of her family’s local plumbing business.

Dr. Berman, affectionately called “the Berminator” by her students, led a celebrated life and was respected and adored by all that knew her, a feeling that she reciprocated. Dr. Berman graduated from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and earned her Ph.D. in Women’s History from SUNY Buffalo. She remained dedicated to the advocacy of women throughout her career. In 1981, Dr. Berman joined the faculty at Greenwich Academy (GA), in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she taught European history and served as a student-advisor in the Upper School. As a teacher and advisor, Dr. Berman had a unique classroom presence and a genuine interest in her students’ lives. She was a cherished member of the GA community for 30 years, where she became Chair of the History Department in fall of 2002.

Dr. Berman is survived by her loving husband of 37 years, Donald Berman, M.D., a critical care physician at Reid Hospital in Richmond, Indiana; daughter Carrie, 31, Account Manager at Hitwise, a global online marketing services company in London; and son Eric, 22, a student at the Universal Technical Institute in Rhode Island. Dr. Berman was a devoted wife and mother, and died peacefully in the arms of her family at Reid Hospital after battling ocular cancer. The service will be held at Congregation Agudath Sholom (301 Strawberry Hill Ave, Stamford, CT 06902) at 9:00 on the morning of Wednesday, March 9, 2011.

In the words of one of Dr. Berman’s former students, “she changed my life and I will always be grateful to her,” a comment that represents the sentiments of many--if not all--of her students, friends, colleagues, and family members.