Ruth Amalia Berg

Sept. 7, 1924-Dec. 7, 2015

Ruth Amalia Berg, a longtime resident of Piedmont and Oakland, passed away peacefully, at age 91, on Monday, December 7th, surrounded by family.

Born September 7, 1924 to Rudolph and Katherine Barich in Butte, Montana, she was the youngest of three daughters. The family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Bay Area where she attended parochial schools. Ruth graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelors Degree in English. She worked as a copywriter at an ad agency in San Francisco until her marriage to Everett Berg in 1953. She and Ev have two children, Chris Berg of Lafayette and Anne Herzog of Alamo.

While raising her children, Ruth volunteered at their schools, was a docent at the Oakland Museum and taught yoga. She also enjoyed membership and friends at the Bellevue Club of Oakland.

Ruth and Ev loved to travel and took many trips around the world. It gave her great joy to include her children and grandchildren on many of the trips. At the age of 87, Ruth fulfilled a longtime desire when she, Ev, and family toured India.

Valuing education and a desire to give back to their community, Ruth and Ev established the Children’s Educational Opportunity Foundation to help children from low-income families attend private schools in Oakland. Ruth was so proud of the program and loved meeting the kids and families at the annual CEO awards banquet held at St. Elizabeth School in Oakland. Over the years, more than 5,400 tuition assistance awards were granted.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Everett, of 63 years; children, Chris and Anne; grandchildren, Jon, Quinn, and Eric Berg and Grant, Katherine, and Sarah Herzog; great-grandchildren, McKenzie, Declan, and Riley Ruth.

Ruth will be remembered as a warm and loving mother and grandmother who treasured time with her family.

A private memorial will be held in January.