Obituary: Binnie B. Bergen, 97
Binnie B. Bergen, 97, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., passed away Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015. She was the beloved wife of Maj. Herbert L. Bergen, who preceded her in death after 53 years of marriage.
Binnie was born in New York, the daughter of immigrant parents Isadore and Celia Posner, who were from the same shtetl in Riga, Latvia, and met and married in New York. She had three beloved siblings: Betty Koch, Anne Kadison Weinstein and Lou Posner, who also preceded her in death.
Survivors include children Mira D. Bergen of Atlanta and Sally Bergen and husband Chuck McCormack of Albuquerque, N.M.; cherished sister-in-law Marcia Posner; and beloved niece Betty Ann and husband Richard Shan and their children, Spencer and Melissa Shan. She is also survived by treasured nephews Ed and wife Debbie Koch and their children, Adam and Daniel, and Ted and wife Stephanie Kadison and his children, Daniel and Elissa; beloved niece Gail and husband Howard Golden and their children, Deborah and Rachel; dear niece Amy Adler and husband Josh and her children, Johnathan and Tamar; and nephew Dr. David Posner, wife Liz, and their children, Anna and James.
Binnie was the consummate military wife, moving around the country and world for 23 years with her husband’s military career. She had many careers of her own throughout the years. She was a highly valued employee during World War II with Bulova Watch Co. in Queens, where the company made precision parts. Later, her exquisite attention to detail made her a valuable asset to a Miami company that made airplane parts. After the war, she became a dental assistant, a career she followed for many years before returning to school to earn her B.A. in social work from Florida International University. She worked at Douglas Gardens Home for the Aged, and after Herbert died in 1997, she took comfort in the Bereavement Group in her Century Village community in Pembroke Pines. Later, with her social work degree, her personal bereavement experience and her daughter Mira’s hospice materials, she went on to lead the bereavement group for many years.
Jewish traditions were important to Binnie and Herbert: They hosted 40 people at their home for Passover two years in a row during their stay in Taiwan. One of her most treasured memories was Herbert flying in from Okinawa with gefilte fish on his lap for the seder. One of their favorite activities was grinding the horseradish from scratch, and her latkes at Chanukah were a legend in the entire family.
Memorial contributions may be made to Doctors Without Borders, Memorial Sloan Kettering, National Jewish Health in Denver (www.nationaljewish.org) or Jewish Guild for the Blind (www.wsiaca.org).
Graveside services were Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Mount Nebo Cemetery, Miami, under the direction of Levitt Weinstein Memorial Chapel, Hollywood, Fla. Rabbi Michoel Lipschutz of the Atlanta Scholars Kollel flew down to officiate.
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