Obituary: Ronald Berg
- Obituary
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
Longtime Juneau resident Ronald Berg, 80, passed away Dec. 13, 2025, while living at home.
A celebration of life will be held June 21, 2026, at the Auk Rec Raven Shelter from 2 to 8 p.m. in Juneau. Following the celebration, Ron’s family, friends, and neighbors are invited to bellow “Glorious!” at the Solstice Summer sky one more time in his memory, while his ashes are spread over his favorite fishing grounds.
Ron Berg was born just after his twin, Don, on Feb. 28, 1945, in Missoula, Montana to Jacob and Alice Berg. In their youth, he and Don lived life to the fullest in Montana: hiking, camping, adopting a menagerie of animals, and racing bikes up and down steep mountain roads.
Ron graduated high school in 1963. Between high school and college, Ron was hired by a working biologist to assist in a study of ptarmigan in Glacier National Park. He lived and worked in a research camp, frequently climbing mountains to locate and document alpine wildlife. During the following summers of his undergraduate years, he worked for the Forest Service as a fire spotter. Ron completed his undergraduate studies in 1967 at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. Upon graduation, he received a graduate teaching fellowship from the University of Wisconsin. Ron finished a master’s degree in limnology at the University of Wisconsin in 1969.
After graduation, he enlisted in the Army, completing Officer Candidate School as an Artillery Scout Observer. Upon receiving a tour of duty assignment in Anchorage, Alaska, he married his college sweetheart, Barbara Berg, in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Ron served at Ft. Richardson, rising to the rank of First Lieutenant and was honorably discharged in 1972.
After serving in the Army, Ron was recruited by the National Marine Fisheries Service in Juneau, Alaska, trained to scuba dive for photographic assay of underwater flora and fauna and later rose to the position of Deputy Regional Administrator of NMFS-Alaska Region. Always a conservationist, he helped to preserve Alaska’s fisheries for future generations, worked to preserve the National Parks, and practiced hunting with a totemic respect for the spirit of the animals. Ron resided in Juneau, Alaska, for 53 years with his wife, raising two children, Justin and Daniel.
Ron is survived by his wife of 55 years, Barbara; his two sons, Justin Berg of Mililani, Hawaii and Daniel Berg of Eugene, Oregon; his brother Donald Berg of Polson, Montana; his sister Linda Burgan of Missoula, Montana; his nephews Bradley Berg of Austin, Texas, Eric Burgan of Missoula, Montana, Chris Burgan of Seattle, Washington, and their children: Jacob Berg, Kate Dissinger, and Nicole Hurst; and by his Cairn Terrier, Kipper.
Our family want to express our sincere appreciation to our good neighbors, compassionate caregivers, and old friends for their support through these difficult times.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Nature Conservancy and the National Parks Foundation. Arrangements have been made by his son, Daniel Berg.
