Gerald W. Berger

Gerald W. "Jerry" Berger, 81, of Des Plaines, Illinois, passed away on Saturday, September 26, 2026, after an extended and courageous battle with cancer. He had been a resident of Des Plaines since 1977, building a life and a legacy alongside his beloved wife of 61 years, Brenda.

Born to Ted and Alice Berger in Carney, Michigan, and growing up on the family farm in Bagley, Jerry was part of a large hard-working family. He was preceded in death by his parents; his mother-in-law, Ruth (Alvin) Johnson; and his siblings, Rose (Albert) Baumler, Maxine (Richard) Macco, Arlene (Stewart) Motto, Lillian (Clem) Lundquist, Ted Berger, Carolyn (John) Beck, Harold Berger, and Donna Petraski.

For nearly 50 years, Jerry proudly served the Chicago suburbs as the owner and operator of BRC Heating and Cooling, the family HVAC business, working diligently until just a few months prior to his passing. He was committed to his community, and was actively involved in numerous organizations and civic groups. Over the years, he served as an usher and head of the maintenance committee at St. Stephen's Parish, and was previously a member of the Knights of Columbus. He also gave his time to the Des Plaines History Center board, the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce (serving as Superintendent of Engineering), the Des Plaines DEN group, and most recently, was an active member of the Optimist Club.

Beyond his work and community involvement, Jerry was known for his playful spirit and many interests. He enjoyed deer hunting with his sons and grandsons, keeping up with longtime friends and classmates, and, especially, the yearly Campapalooza family campouts on the Berger property in Michigan. He was a wonderful storyteller who loved sharing funny stories and jokes, and teaching people the traditional family ‘toast’. He enjoyed giving ‘pocket hugs’ to friends and customers alike. He took pride in the simple pleasures of daily life—whether it was feeding the birds and squirrels at home and at the shop, gardening, or tending to the flowers he planted for Brenda. He loved dogs and always had one in the house for protection, love and companionship.

Jerry is survived by his devoted wife, Brenda (Greer) Berger; his children, Mindy Berger, Sue (Berger) Gordon (Eric Johnson), Jerry (Happi) Berger, and Bob Berger; and his sister, Luella (Jim) Nutt. He was a proud grandfather to eight grandchildren—Haley (Will) Kailhofer, Jake Gordon, Josh (Emma) Gordon, Sam Gordon, Cody Berger, Caden (Skye) Berger, Teddy Berger, and Christian Berger. He and Brenda were eagerly looking forward to welcoming their first great-grandchild in November 2026.

Jerry's warmth, leadership, dedication to his family and community, strong work ethic, belief in God, and sense of humor will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. In lieu of flowers, the family has set up a GoFundMe to assist with ongoing expenses and care for his wife, Brenda. Donations can be made at: https://gofund.me/6ee2d461d

Visitation and short funeral service will be held at Oehler Funeral Home, 2099 Miner Street, Des Plaines, IL 60016, on Friday, October 9, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. For more information, please call (847) 824-5155.