Joseph “Joe” Berger, 85, Dickinson, surrounded by his family died on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at his home. Joe’s Celebration of Life Service will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, December 12, 2020 at the Prairie Winds United Methodist Church, Dickinson, with Rev. Jerry Stravia, IV officiating. Inurnment will take place at the Bowman Cemetery, Bowman. Military Honors will be provided by the Dickinson American Legion Post 3 Honor Guard. Visitation will be on Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Prairie Winds United Methodist Church, Dickinson.
Joseph P. Berger was born on March 25, 1935 at Watford City to Fred “Fritz” and Edith (Trout) Berger. He attended grades 1 and 2 at Patton Grade School northwest of Arnegard where his parents lived on a ranch.
In 1945 his parents bought the Mule Shoe Bar Ranch nine miles southeast of Watford City. He finished grade school at the Forman School and had one year of High School in Watford City. He worked on the Ranch and several other ranches in the area. In 1955 he went to work for Eklund Bro. Transport and drove truck until 1957, worked for Fettig Bros. Rodeo until February 1958 until he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he spent one year in Fort Sill, Okla. and one year in Germany.
He finished high school in Germany and was discharged as a Spec 4 in March of 1960. He returned to Watford City and went to work for Marvin Knutson Construction until 1962. Joe then went back to work for Eklund Bros. Transport and also worked on weekends as a pickup man at rodeos for Ben Johnstone. In 1962 he married Irma Strother in the Presbyterian Church in Watford City. In 1964 Eklund Bro. sold out to Matador Service which later became Koch Industries. Joe then went into the Pipeline Dept. and moved to Belfield, then Plevna, Mont., Rhame and Bowman where they built a home northwest of Bowman, by this time there were five children born, Rita, Brent, Jay, Traci and Nichole. Nichole passed away in 1975. In 1977 he joined the Safety Dept. with Koch as the Safety Supervisor for the Northern Div. In 1980 they brought a new home in Dickinson and moved there. Irma passed away in December of 1990 from cancer. Joe married Joan Mayer on January 3, 1992 who had four children, Lyle, Greg, Jeff and Kristy. Together they had 15 grandchildren.
Joe joined the Masonic Lodge in Belfield in 1968 and was a Worshipful Master in 2007 and 2008, 2011 and 2012. He was also a member of the Elks. Joe was very much involved in the Methodist Church where he was an Administrative Chairman for six years, Trustee for two years and Men’s Club Chair for two years.
He retired from Koch Ind. in 1998 with 34 years of service. In 1998 he hauled railroad crews around, in 1999 he went to work for Dakota Bus and drove until October 2002. Joe then went to work for Elder Care/Public Transit for nine years. He was on the Dakota Transit board for four years, won driver of the year in 2007 and 2011, retiring from Public Transit in December 2011.
Joe is survived by his wife, Joan, Dickinson; children, Rita (Barry) Tescher, Minot, Brent Berger, Palisade, Colo., Jay (Karen) Berger, Mandan, and Traci (Dave) Vaughan, Bismarck; step-children, Lyle (Denise) Mayer, Springfield, Va., Greg (Peggy) Mayer, Fargo, Jeff (Brenda) Mayer, Dickinson and Kristy (Curt) Morrell, Los Angeles, Calif; nine grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sister, Margaret (Sid) Christensen, Farmington, N.M.; in-laws, Mary Binstock, Billings, Mont., Martina Stagl, New England, Eleanor Twardowski, Bismarck, Diane (Terry) Leininger, Sioux Falls, S.D., Millie (Clarence) Bender, Billings, Jeanne Obritsch, Belfield, Karen (Roque) Kadrmas, Manning, Victor (Dianne) Binstock, Dickinson, Erv (Diane) Binstock, Monty (Faye) Stanhope, Henderson, Nev., Bill (Peggy) Strother, Grand Junction, Colo., Garland (Liz) Strother, New Orleans, La., and Rob Strother, Salem, Ore.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Irma Berger, Dec. 1990; daughters, Nichole Berger and Janel Mayer; parents; two sisters, Jean (Jerry) Herd, Marilyn (Bill) Roth; in-laws, Casper Binstock, Ray Binstock, Jean (Otis) Messick, Marian Strother, Sandy Strother, Ken Stagl, Fritz Twardowski and Ken Obritsch.
