Obituaries

Joseph T. Berger, 47, born July 25, 1974, in Morristown, New Jersey, died May 24, 2022, from a water accident.

He was a son, a brother, father and friend. His smile was encouraging with a hint of mischief behind it. He was a practical joker and always fun to be around. He would talk about his friends and those whom he met along the way and all the things they did. He was an amazing storyteller, at times a little too good.

Growing up Joe was an avid soccer player and would practice constantly. The sound of a soccer ball hitting the garage never stopped. He was offered a position with a junior professional league after High School but was unable to join due to an injury he sustained before the season began.

He was a student at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia and studied finance. He spent his working career as the financial manager for dealerships on the east coast and excelled in the industry.

He enjoyed fishing and carried a rod around when he knew he would be near water. Staying on the coastal river near Savannah, he was awake early, and be fishing at the break of dawn nearly every day.

Joe enjoyed gardening and was an exceptionally good cook. He would ask you to cook but then take over whatever you were doing to do it his way. His love of shrimp while staying on the coast was unreal.

He loved music, he would go to any live show and always made anyone feel their music was great.

His two sons were the light in his life. He talked about their accomplishments and how proud he was to be their father.

He is survived by his two sons, Preston Berger, Seth Berger, and their mother, Thea Berger; his mother, Jacqueline Bower Richards; two brothers, Gregory Berger, Christopher Berger (Deanna); one sister, Courtney Powell (Richard), nieces Cecelia (CeCe) Berger, Austin Rakes; nephew Trevor Rakes; and close friend since high school, Erin Bosher Payne.

Joseph was preceded in death by his father, Ernest J. Berger his paternal grandparents, Robert (Bob) and Flora Berger, his Aunt Roberta Berger Cox and her husband Bud Cox; his maternal grandparents, James W. and Mary C. (McAvoy) Bower, his uncles J. Michael Bower, J. Patrick Bower, Richard P. Bower and his wife Judith Schlicker Bower; and cousins Brian Cox and David Joseph Anderson.

Joseph’s Memorial Funeral Liturgy was celebrated Friday morning, June 17, 2022, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Salem, Virginia.

There will be a committal service for Joseph in the Bower Family section of the Bridgeport Cemetery at one o’clock Thursday afternoon, August 4, 2022, with Reverend Sravan Kumar Reddimasu, Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Stonewood, West Virginia, officiating. Extended family and friends are welcome to pray with the family at the burial.

Expressions of sympathy may be extended to the family at www.amoscarvelli.com. A service of Amos Carvelli Funeral Home.