Bruce J Berberich

It is with great sadness that the family of Bruce James "Buck" Berberich announces his passing after a brief illness, on Thursday, June 11, 2020, at the age of 77.

Buck was born in Springfield, MN, on March 15, 1943. He graduated from high school in Vermillion, SD, in 1961. He proudly served in the United States Navy from 1961 to 1965. He was trained as an aviation electronics repairman and served as a crew member on a Grumman C-1 Trader carrier-based transport aircraft. He put wheels down on many famed aircraft carriers, including the USS Kitty Hawk, USS Kearsarge, USS Coral Sea, and what he called the "most beautiful thing he'd ever seen" the USS Midway. Buck was honorably discharged from the Navy as a Petty Officer, Third Class.

Buck was a devoted fan of his alma mater North Dakota State University and flew his Thundering Herd flag outside his house all his life. He graduated from the NDSU School of Pharmacy in 1970 and worked as a pharmacist for 26 years with positions at Snyder Drug, Red Owl Drug, and Abco Drug in Minneapolis, Coon Rapids, MN, and Tucson, AZ, respectively.

Buck was the proud owner, along with his loving wife Leta, of Coon Creek Old West, which was established in 1989. Buck was a long-time member of SASS (Single Action Shooting Society - membership #4827) and traveled for many years throughout the country participating in Old West, Spanish-American War, and Civil War shows and events. Coon Creek Old West had customers around the world and was one of the best known places to get authentic Old West memorabilia and clothing, including outfitting Hollywood movies and television series, as well as being a popular outfitter of the Buffalo Soldiers reenactors, for whom they had a great admiration. Buck and Leta's business was inducted into the SASS Hall of Fame in 2015.

Buck will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 51 years Leta (Bickett) and his children, Paula (Pete) Hoffman, Chad (Lisa) Berberich and Jonas (Tammy) Berberich. Buck will also be fondly remembered by his grandchildren, Stuart (Janessa), Alexandria (Ryan), Zachary (Allisa), Aaron, John Robert, Kylie, Brayden, Samuel, Dylan and Noah; and his great grandchildren Hamilton, Augustus, Lillian and Wyatt. Buck was the brother of Karen (Clarence) Kotte and Brian (Sharon) Berberich; and uncle to Kris (Renee) Kotte.

Buck is preceded in death by his parents Norbert and DeLoris (Isaackson) Berberich, mother-in-law Judith (Schrooten), and father-in-law Aubry Bickett, brother in-law Clarence Kotte, and niece Kim Kotte.