SONJA “SONNIE” PEARL BERGER (nee ANDRUSKA) b. September 17, 2019 d. May 18, 2019. Passed away at Malachi House in Cleveland OH on May 18, 2019 after a long illness. Sonnie was married to Earl R. Berger (b. May 22, 1906 d. September 18, 2019) Sonnie is survived by her children: Son, David E. Berger (sp. Laura Orozco-Berger) Daughter, Jeanne L. Glazer (Samuel –d.) Sonnie is survived by her brother, Peter Andruska, nephew Robert M Hedden (sp. Loretta), niece Gail L. Hedden and niece Sharyl Andruska. Also, great nephews Robert and Taylor and great nieces Alyssa and Sinclair. Sonnie also leaves a host of wonderful former co-workers and friends. Sonnie is predeceased by her sister Julia Clark (d.) Sonnie was born in Chicago, IL on September 17, 1936 to Czechoslovakian immigrants Andrew Andruska (d.) and Julia Krizanova (d.) where she graduated from Taft HS in 1954 and later earned an RN degree from Illinois Masonic Hospital. There, she met and married Earl R Berger and moved to Cleveland, OH in 1960 where they raised their two children David and Jeanne. She lived in Richmond Heights, OH for about forty years before moving to Macedonia, OH. Among her lifetime accomplishments: Not only did she work as a nurse but as a realtor for HGM Hilltop which is now Realty One and an active real estate investor. She also was elected President to the Richmond Heights School Board and served on the board for many years prior to that. Additionally, she took a great interest in the students by organizing school trips to Niagara Falls, Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, and Washington DC. School fund raising was also a passion with such events as Spaghetti Dinners, Citrus Sale and Sugar Plumb Shoppe craft sales during the holidays. Sonnie was also involved in ORT, Bluebirds, and Cleveland Opera Alfresco organizations. Other significant accomplishments include the award of the US Patent for the processing and preservation of fresh garlic. Among her loves were gardening and landscape design, cooking and traveling. Her cooking specialties were Hungarian goulash, grilled fish, holiday dinners and bakery such as lemon merengue pies. Sonnie’s travels included Guatemala (with Uncle Ben Wulkan (d.), Canada, Israel (with Ed, Shosh, Bruce and Renee Ault) Europe (with her son and Gail Hedden) and throughout the United States (with her husband and children); especially a 1976 “Bicentennial” summer trip across the United States. One or two weeks in the summer were spent at Punderson State Park where with her family, they would share a cabin with Tony (d.), Josie and Anthony Cardellini (d.)
However, the place she loved the most was Deerfield Beach, FL and traveling to and from Cleveland with her friend Bertha Maver (d.). Sonnie’s personality was one of optimism that was used to encourage others as well.
We will miss her and her love.
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