Betty Berger
BERGER: Betty Berger on July 20, 2016. Betty was born to Morris and Celia Berger in Pittsburgh, February 12, 1928, the youngest of four children, born after her parents reunited in the U.S. after a long separation caused by World War I. She grew up on Bedford Avenue, then moved to Squirrel Hill. Betty attended Taylor Allderdice and the University of Pittsburgh. She married Joseph M. Berger in 1951 and raised four children, who attended Hillel Academy. The youngest, Keith, was the 6th baby in the U.S. to undergo an experimental treatment for rh-factor, which brought her into contact with the highest circles of medical research in Pittsburgh. She served on many charitable organizations, including Hadassah, and was a longtime member of Shaare Torah Congregation. After raising her children, Betty returned to study at the University of Pittsburgh and finished her bachelor’s degree; then becoming the oldest student at Pitt to complete a master’s degree (Library Science). She worked as a medical librarian at Montefiore Hospital, and was a major contributor to the National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh Section Oral History Project. That assignment combined her love of Pittsburgh, Judaism, history, librarianship and storytelling, making the material accessible to researchers via the Internet through Hillman Library. Betty was well known for her Jewish holiday recipes and was co-author of a cookbook called, “The Ta’am of Your Life.” Her husband of 60 years, Joe, passed away in 2011. She is survived by her four children, Marc, Jeffrey Scott & Keith; 15 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
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