Paul A. Berger

Paul A. Berger, 74, of Omaha, formerly of Sioux City, died Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006, in Elkhorn, Neb., following a lengthy illness.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, 801 Douglas, with Mr. Clarence Carney and Landmark Masonic Lodge 103 A.F. & A.M. officiating. Visitation with the family present will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Nelson-Berger Northside Chapel. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Paul A. Berger was born March 27, 1932, in Sioux City, to Lester and Dora (Nelson) Berger. He attended Sioux City schools and graduated from Central High School in 1950. He attended Stanford University for three years and graduated from the University of Minnesota, where he also attended Mortuary School. He later received an honorary degree from Morningside College.

He married Anne Murray on Dec. 27, 1951. After college, he joined the family business and was co-owner with his brother, Tom, in the Nelson-Berger Funeral Home until 1986. He then became secretary-registrar at the Sioux City Consistory.

He served on the Sioux City City Council from 1968 to 1974 and was mayor from 1970 to 1974. He served two terms on the Sioux City Board of Education of which he was vice president for three years. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and had served as president in 1977 and served on the board of directors of the Woodbury County Tax Research Conference.

He was a member of Morningside Lutheran Church, Morningside Commercial Club, Sertoma Club, Landmark Masonic Lodge, where he was a 33rd Degree Mason and Past Master, Sioux City Scottish Rite Bodies and the Abu Bekr Shrine Temple. He served on the board of AAA of Iowa and had been chairman of the board as well as serving on the board of Security National Bank. He was the first president of the Siouxland Medical Educational Foundation.

Survivors include his wife, Anne of Omaha; two sons, Dr. Paul Berger Jr. and his wife, Lanie of Sioux City and Dan Berger of Omaha; a daughter, Alison Berger of Omaha; a brother, Thomas Berger and his wife, Gail of McCook Lake, S.D.; three grandchildren, Paul A. Berger III, Thomas Berger-DeRoos and Dan Berger-DeRoos; a brother-in-law, Tom Murray and his wife, Ihlys of Sacramento, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Doris Sackett.

Memorials may be directed to the Iowa Scottish Rite Foundation or the Abu Bekr Shrine Transportation Fund.