Anton (Tony) Berg

Anton, (Tony) Berg, aged 102 years, passed away on January 26, 2021, after a very full life. He was born on September 25, 1918 to Anton Berg and Marne (Marian) Berg while his father was fighting in the Great War with a Minnesota Infantry Division. He volunteered for the draft in 1941 before Pearl Harbor, and served in 6 campaigns in World War II from North Africa, Sicily, was in the second wave ashore on Utah Beach at Normandy, through the Battle of the Bulge, all the way to the Elbe River where his unit the 65th Armored Field Artillery Battalion met up with the Mongolian cavalry from the Soviet Union.

He married Gunver (Gwen) Mailand on September 29, 1945 at Luther Memorial Church in Des Moines, Iowa. They were together for 64 years until her death in 2009.

He was preceded in death by his parents, all his aunts and uncles, all of his cousins, and his wife Gwen, his brother Robert (Bob) Berg of Demote, Indiana and also many friends.

He is survived by his son Steve, and Harold Berg of Boone Iowa, two nephews, Keith (Susan) Berg of Ogden, Iowa and Ed (Kathy) Berg of Orient, Iowa, and their Progeny.

A high point in Tony's life came several years ago when he and his two brothers, who are also World War II veterans, went on an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. where Tony was escorted by George McCaskey. They were later invited to Soldier Field to sit in the McCaskey skybox to see a Chicago Bears game against the Seattle Seahawks.

He was justly renowned for his love of playing card games. He made enough money playing poker in the Army to start up a family construction company in Des Moines, Iowa on his return home.

Tony spent many enjoyable years at Club 55, the DeKalb Senior Center, playing cards and enjoying the meals served there. He constantly complained about the cards he was dealt, but was happy to have a place to go play cards each weekday. To help support this he was happy to donate his own funds, and also to go out and give speeches sponsored by the United Way to help fund "he Senior Center.

Tony served Long Grove for 13 years as Village Superintendent, and was on the board of Kildeer Countryside School District for some years. Tony was a member of the Long Grove Volunteer Fire Department, and served as its President. He was also the President of the Long Grove Historical Society, as was his wife, Gwen.

Memorial gifts may be made to Club 55, 330 Grove Street DeKalb, IL 60115, The Museum of Danish America, 2212 Washington Street Elk Horn, IA 51531, or the Long Grove Historical Society, 338 Old McHenry Road Long Grove, IL 60047