Member Spotlight

Longtime area volunteer Doris Berg passes away

Northwest Florida Daily News
December 3, 2012

Doris Berg died knowing she made an impact in her community.

The 87-year-old Poquito Bayou woman passed away Nov. 29 in her home, but her memory and volunteer efforts will live on in the people she worked so hard to provide for.

“She was so industrious in so many things in this town,” said Aaron Thrush, who worked with Berg while acting as the president of Sharing and Caring. “She was a super volunteer, as all the people she was involved with would vouch.”

Berg moved to the Emerald Coast in 1978 with her husband, Stan Berg, and began almost immediately getting involved in area nonprofits and causes.

“She just worked with people,” Stan said. “Her purpose was to use whatever skills she had to help whoever she could.

“That was just the kind of person she was.”

Among Berg’s long list of organizations she worked with — too many for Stan to recollect — were Sharing and Caring, Shelter House, Northwest Florida Health Council, and the American Cancer Society.

“She was always an advocate for the underdog,” said Jean Dutton, former executive director of Shelter House. “She was a very sharp lady and very giving.”

Through her more than 30 years of volunteering, Berg served on numerous boards of directors, helped establish Shelter House, and led efforts toward improving healthcare for the elderly.

“She had nothing but heart,” said Nancy Manley, a volunteer with Sharing and Caring. “She wanted to give it all she could and she always had a smile and was always willing to help somebody. She went the extra mile even if we couldn’t help the person.”

Notice for a memorial service will be held after the first of the year, according to her husband.

“Doris was a person who never struggled to identify and then work to determine needs in an efficient and effective manner,” Thrush said.

“People should look at her example and how she conducted herself — they couldn’t find a better model to follow.”

Note: Doris was inducted into the Okaloosa County Women's Hall of Fame in 1996 and was a long-time League member. The League of Women Voters of Okaloosa County awarded her with a League 50-year pin at their annual meeting last April.