Dorothy Irene Gillispie Berger reached the end of a long and happy life at 97 on September 13, 2019.
Dorothy was born on January 3, 1922, and grew up in Seibert, a small farm town on the eastern Colorado plains. She graduated from Seibert High School and, with a scholarship, continued her education at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, followed by a year at Barnes Business School in Denver. She enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in April 1944. Following boot camp at Camp Lejeune, NC, Dorothy was transferred to San Diego, CA. She was honorably discharged in February 1946 and returned to Denver, working for the Veterans Administration while attending night school at the University of Denver through 1949. After taking the State Department exam, Dorothy travelled to Washington, D.C., went through the Foreign Service Institute and was assigned to Austria, thus beginning her lifelong dream of foreign travel. She worked at the American Embassy in Vienna with the State Department, where she met Howard Berger, who was serving with the Army (U.S. Forces, Austria) as part of the Four-Power military occupation of that country along with the British, French and Russians. They were married on February 10, 1951.
When the peace treaty was signed and the occupation ended in 1955, Dorothy and Howard traveled to Camp Darby, Livorno/Pisa, Italy, where the Army established the Southern European Task Force, a missile command. In 1956, the Bergers moved with the Headquarters to Verona where Dorothy taught typing, military correspondence and office procedures to Italian employees of the Army. She also took night courses at the overseas branch of the University of Maryland. Then, in 1965, following another Headquarters move to Vicenza, Dorothy became the Boston University Overseas Regional Coordinator for seven bases throughout Italy and Spain. In that role she traveled extensively, arranging for and assisting Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine and State Department personnel to pursue their graduate degrees. She retired in 1986 due to injuries suffered in an on-the-job automobile accident.
After a span of 50 years overseas, and when her husband retired from the Department of the Army in October 1994, the Bergers relocated to the U.S., splitting time between residences in beautiful Naples, FL, and delightful Denver, CO.
Dorothy enjoyed travel, reading and politics as well as the arts, particularly art history, music, theater and opera. Family and friends were inspired and delighted by her warm and comforting presence.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Gillispie and Ina (Nightingale), brother, Norvin Gillispie, and sisters, Leila Hicks, Elaine Gupton and Oleta Hollman.
Dorothy lived her life as a beautiful example to others. She was kind, compassionate, tolerant, charitable and patriotic. Her care and concern for others was so apparent in all her personal and professional relationships. Dorothy will be sorely missed and never forgotten by all who knew and loved her.
Services and internment will be held at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at 11am at Staging Area "A".
SEMPER FI
Dorothy was born on January 3, 1922, and grew up in Seibert, a small farm town on the eastern Colorado plains. She graduated from Seibert High School and, with a scholarship, continued her education at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, followed by a year at Barnes Business School in Denver. She enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in April 1944. Following boot camp at Camp Lejeune, NC, Dorothy was transferred to San Diego, CA. She was honorably discharged in February 1946 and returned to Denver, working for the Veterans Administration while attending night school at the University of Denver through 1949. After taking the State Department exam, Dorothy travelled to Washington, D.C., went through the Foreign Service Institute and was assigned to Austria, thus beginning her lifelong dream of foreign travel. She worked at the American Embassy in Vienna with the State Department, where she met Howard Berger, who was serving with the Army (U.S. Forces, Austria) as part of the Four-Power military occupation of that country along with the British, French and Russians. They were married on February 10, 1951.
When the peace treaty was signed and the occupation ended in 1955, Dorothy and Howard traveled to Camp Darby, Livorno/Pisa, Italy, where the Army established the Southern European Task Force, a missile command. In 1956, the Bergers moved with the Headquarters to Verona where Dorothy taught typing, military correspondence and office procedures to Italian employees of the Army. She also took night courses at the overseas branch of the University of Maryland. Then, in 1965, following another Headquarters move to Vicenza, Dorothy became the Boston University Overseas Regional Coordinator for seven bases throughout Italy and Spain. In that role she traveled extensively, arranging for and assisting Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine and State Department personnel to pursue their graduate degrees. She retired in 1986 due to injuries suffered in an on-the-job automobile accident.
After a span of 50 years overseas, and when her husband retired from the Department of the Army in October 1994, the Bergers relocated to the U.S., splitting time between residences in beautiful Naples, FL, and delightful Denver, CO.
Dorothy enjoyed travel, reading and politics as well as the arts, particularly art history, music, theater and opera. Family and friends were inspired and delighted by her warm and comforting presence.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Gillispie and Ina (Nightingale), brother, Norvin Gillispie, and sisters, Leila Hicks, Elaine Gupton and Oleta Hollman.
Dorothy lived her life as a beautiful example to others. She was kind, compassionate, tolerant, charitable and patriotic. Her care and concern for others was so apparent in all her personal and professional relationships. Dorothy will be sorely missed and never forgotten by all who knew and loved her.
Services and internment will be held at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at 11am at Staging Area "A".
SEMPER FI
Dorothy Irene Gillispie Berger reached the end of a long and happy life at 97 on September 13, 2019.
Dorothy was born on January 3, 1922, and grew up in Seibert, a small farm town on the eastern Colorado plains. She graduated from Seibert High School and, with a scholarship, continued her education at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, followed by a year at Barnes Business School in Denver. She enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in April 1944. Following boot camp at Camp Lejeune, NC, Dorothy was transferred to San Diego, CA. She was honorably discharged in February 1946 and returned to Denver, working for the Veterans Administration while attending night school at the University of Denver through 1949. After taking the State Department exam, Dorothy travelled to Washington, D.C., went through the Foreign Service Institute and was assigned to Austria, thus beginning her lifelong dream of foreign travel. She worked at the American Embassy in Vienna with the State Department, where she met Howard Berger, who was serving with the Army (U.S. Forces, Austria) as part of the Four-Power military occupation of that country along with the British, French and Russians. They were married on February 10, 1951.
When the peace treaty was signed and the occupation ended in 1955, Dorothy and Howard traveled to Camp Darby, Livorno/Pisa, Italy, where the Army established the Southern European Task Force, a missile command. In 1956, the Bergers moved with the Headquarters to Verona where Dorothy taught typing, military correspondence and office procedures to Italian employees of the Army. She also took night courses at the overseas branch of the University of Maryland. Then, in 1965, following another Headquarters move to Vicenza, Dorothy became the Boston University Overseas Regional Coordinator for seven bases throughout Italy and Spain. In that role she traveled extensively, arranging for and assisting Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine and State Department personnel to pursue their graduate degrees. She retired in 1986 due to injuries suffered in an on-the-job automobile accident.
After a span of 50 years overseas, and when her husband retired from the Department of the Army in October 1994, the Bergers relocated to the U.S., splitting time between residences in beautiful Naples, FL, and delightful Denver, CO.
Dorothy enjoyed travel, reading and politics as well as the arts, particularly art history, music, theater and opera. Family and friends were inspired and delighted by her warm and comforting presence.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Gillispie and Ina (Nightingale), brother, Norvin Gillispie, and sisters, Leila Hicks, Elaine Gupton and Oleta Hollman.
Dorothy lived her life as a beautiful example to others. She was kind, compassionate, tolerant, charitable and patriotic. Her care and concern for others was so apparent in all her personal and professional relationships. Dorothy will be sorely missed and never forgotten by all who knew and loved her.
Services and internment will be held at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at 11am at Staging Area "A".
SEMPER FI
Dorothy was born on January 3, 1922, and grew up in Seibert, a small farm town on the eastern Colorado plains. She graduated from Seibert High School and, with a scholarship, continued her education at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, followed by a year at Barnes Business School in Denver. She enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in April 1944. Following boot camp at Camp Lejeune, NC, Dorothy was transferred to San Diego, CA. She was honorably discharged in February 1946 and returned to Denver, working for the Veterans Administration while attending night school at the University of Denver through 1949. After taking the State Department exam, Dorothy travelled to Washington, D.C., went through the Foreign Service Institute and was assigned to Austria, thus beginning her lifelong dream of foreign travel. She worked at the American Embassy in Vienna with the State Department, where she met Howard Berger, who was serving with the Army (U.S. Forces, Austria) as part of the Four-Power military occupation of that country along with the British, French and Russians. They were married on February 10, 1951.
When the peace treaty was signed and the occupation ended in 1955, Dorothy and Howard traveled to Camp Darby, Livorno/Pisa, Italy, where the Army established the Southern European Task Force, a missile command. In 1956, the Bergers moved with the Headquarters to Verona where Dorothy taught typing, military correspondence and office procedures to Italian employees of the Army. She also took night courses at the overseas branch of the University of Maryland. Then, in 1965, following another Headquarters move to Vicenza, Dorothy became the Boston University Overseas Regional Coordinator for seven bases throughout Italy and Spain. In that role she traveled extensively, arranging for and assisting Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine and State Department personnel to pursue their graduate degrees. She retired in 1986 due to injuries suffered in an on-the-job automobile accident.
After a span of 50 years overseas, and when her husband retired from the Department of the Army in October 1994, the Bergers relocated to the U.S., splitting time between residences in beautiful Naples, FL, and delightful Denver, CO.
Dorothy enjoyed travel, reading and politics as well as the arts, particularly art history, music, theater and opera. Family and friends were inspired and delighted by her warm and comforting presence.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Gillispie and Ina (Nightingale), brother, Norvin Gillispie, and sisters, Leila Hicks, Elaine Gupton and Oleta Hollman.
Dorothy lived her life as a beautiful example to others. She was kind, compassionate, tolerant, charitable and patriotic. Her care and concern for others was so apparent in all her personal and professional relationships. Dorothy will be sorely missed and never forgotten by all who knew and loved her.
Services and internment will be held at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at 11am at Staging Area "A".
SEMPER FI
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Gravesite Details
Interred: Oct 2, 2019
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