Date : 22 Apr 2019
Location : Los Angeles National Cemetery, Los Angeles, CA
December 26, 1933 - April 16, 2019
Peter Westfall Berger, of Pasadena, CA, died peacefully at home on April 16, 2019, surrounded by family.
Peter was born in Hollywood, CA in 1933, the third of four children, to Paul Francis and Inez Westfall Berger; and grew up in Pasadena, CA, attending Mayfield Jr School and St. Philip The Apostle, before moving on to Loyola High School, and then Santa Clara University. After college, Peter joined the Navy, earning the rank of LTJG and learning to land fighter planes on aircraft carriers.
Peter, with his brother Paul Francis Jr., then co-founded Berger Bros., Inc., a commercial construction company, in 1959. The two would go on to build many of the most prominent buildings throughout Southern California.
In 1959, Peter attended a dance where in walked the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He turned to his friend and said "that's the woman I'm going to marry". Being a man of his word, Peter proposed to Eliane Derminghem just one month after their first date. Together they had nine children and spent the next 60 years with each other.
An extremely hard worker all of his life, Peter always found time for his family. He was a loving, generous, and thoughtful husband, father, and grandfather. Never one to shy away from helping others, Peter lived what he taught. He was an incredibly kind man and a consummate gentleman.
Peter is survived by his wife Eliane; his nine children and their spouses: Martha Johnson (Frederick); Peter (Ingrid); Brian (Anne); Paul; Michael (Stacy); Jonathan (Robert Nachman); Angelique; Chantal Bennett (Stephen); and Ariana Kirkpatrick (David); sixteen grandchildren; his older sister, Sr. Inez Marie SHCJ; his sister-in-law Gretchen Berger and her six children; numerous nieces, nephews, and friends; and his loyal dog, Lucy. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, April 22, 2:00pm at Holy Family Catholic Church, 1527 Fremont Ave. South Pasadena 91030.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Carmelite Sisters at Santa Teresita.
Los Angeles Times - Apr 20, 2019