Virgil John Berg

Virgil John Berg, 94, of Waterloo, died Thursday, June 13, 2019 at Friendship Village.

He was born March 21, 1925, in Waterloo, the son of Matthias and Jennie Weilein Berg and graduated from Waterloo West High School in 1943.

He entered the United States Army in 1943 serving in the North African, Rome-Arno, and Rhineland campaigns. Following his Army discharge, Virgil enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. After military service he worked at John Deere for a short time (he claimed it was too routine, too boring) and then entered ISTC (now UNI) in Cedar Falls He graduated in 1949 with a major in Industrial Arts and minors in Physics, Art, and French. In 1974, he received his MA at UNI.

Virgil married Anne Marie Marchionni on December 20, 1945, in St. Peter’s Church, Nancy, France. She died December 19, 2015.

He began his teaching career at East Jr. High, Waterloo in 1949 and then at McKinstry Junior High when it opened in 1952. In 1970, he was transferred to the new Central High School as Head of the Industrial Technology Department teaching drafting, electronics, graphic arts, woodworking, automotive, metal works, and later French language, retiring in 1986.

In 1966, he opened Waterloo Archery, one of the first indoor archery ranges in Iowa. He developed a feather die cutter patented in 1968. That same year he added a slot car track to the operation.

He was a member of St. Edward Catholic Church where he served as an usher for many years. Virgil was a member of the Hawkeye Uniserv Ed. Assn., Iowa State and the National Education Assn., Iowa State and the National Field Archery Assn. Virgil was active in the American Cancer Society and was instrumental in planning and constructing several Christmas Cancer Raffle houses at the College Square and Crossroads Malls.

He is survived by a niece, Carol (Ronald) Nystrom of Waterloo; a nephew, William (Kathy) Berg of Hemet, CA; several great-nieces and -nephews, and all his former students.

Virgil is preceded in death by his parents; his wife; 2 brothers, Robert and Eugene Berg; and 3 sisters, Katherine Nichols, Ruth Hoch, and Eloise Rickard.