Arthur Ernest Berg Jr.

Arthur Ernest Berg, Jr., a veteran of WWII and long-time resident of Danville, Illinois, passed away on December 20, 2020 at the age of 92. He was preceded in death by Jodell (Jody) Carrington Brewster Berg, his wife of 45 years. He was also preceded in death by his brother Ken Berg, sister Lou Ann Scheffler and her long-time partner Jack Sieger, sister Beverly Funck, and sister-in-law Lynn Berg. He is survived by his brother Ron Berg, sister-in-law Carol Berg, brother-in-law Bob Funck, son Erik Berg, daughter Kristin (Rex) Sisk, daughter Anne (Michael Ferraro) Berg and son Peter (Julie) Berg. He was grandfather to Connolly, Adam and Kathryn Ferraro, and Sabina and Davin Berg. Other survivors include many nieces, nephews and cousins in the Chicago area and in Wisconsin. He is also survived by his close companion of 17 years, Kay Queen of Normal, Illinois.

Art was born to the late Elsie and Arthur Berg, Sr. in Chicago, Illinois on August 31, 1928. His childhood was split between Rice Lake, Wisconsin and Evanston, Illinois. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII and was stationed in Japan with the occupying forces. Upon discharge, Art studied Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he met his future wife, Jody. Art graduated in 1953 with a bachelors degree and later earned his Professional Engineer license. Art was a proud member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, and the proud father of four more alumni. Art was also an enthusiastic fan of the UofI mens basketball and football teams through many (sometimes painful) years.

Art and Jody were married on June 18, 1955, first residing in Evanston, Illinois. They eventually moved to Danville and became active in the community. Art worked as a civil engineer for both the Elton A. Wagner Company and Schomburg & Schomburg Construction for many years. Art also served on the Danville Sanitary District Board and provided engineering expertise to several smaller communities in the Danville area. He was heavily involved with the construction of the YMCA of Danville and the pool and golf course built by the Danville Elks Lodge #332, now the Turtle Run Golf Club. He remained a long-time member of both the YMCA and the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #210.

Art was an avid golfer, coming within 2 strokes of "playing his age" when he was in his 80s. Art was also a fantastic bridge player after learning to play in college. He attained the level of Life Master in Duplicate Bridge, attending several competitions with his good friend Al Wagner. Art also loved to scuba dive, to play tennis, racquetball and handball, and to hunt and fish. He was an accomplished woodworker, making beautiful furniture and decorative objects for friends and family. When not pursuing those activities, Art was usually reading, often several books a week, and had an incredible vocabulary as a result.

Art was active in the Boy Scouts for many years with Troop #303 in Danville, along with his friends Jim Gholson and Larry Voorhees, eventually becoming Scoutmaster. He was accepted into the Order of the Arrow and was a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. During his years of service with the Scouts, Art helped many young men, including his two sons, become Eagle Scouts. Art also saw his two oldest grandsons achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, as well as his youngest grandson become a Scout.

Arts ashes will be interred with his wifes ashes in the Danville National Cemetery, with military funeral honors.

There will be a celebration of Arts life at Turtle Run, 332 East Liberty Lane in Danville on Saturday, July 17th from 3:00 6:00. We hope to have an Art Berg story hour at around 3:30. For those of you who knew Art, you know he could tell some great stories and often did. Please come share your Art Berg story.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a donation to a charity of your choice.