Gene Berger

Gene Raymond Berger, 86, of Ashton, died January 2, 2025, at the Ashton Living Center of causes incident to age. He was born March 16, 1938, to William James Berger and Ella Virginia Woolstenhulme in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He was the second child of six children born to Bill and Ella. 

He was raised in Victor, Idaho, where he loved to roam the surrounding countryside on his favorite horse, “Pal”. He was known to raid his mom‘s pantry and take a quart jar of fruit and head up into the mountains near his home.

He met Sharon Jean Murdoch at a church function where he heard her play a piano solo. He proposed to her within two weeks of that first meeting, although it took another two years before she finally said yes. They were married on February 13, 1959, in the Idaho Falls Temple. They had five children, four daughters and one son.

He went to school to become a barber and was the youngest licensed barber in the state of Idaho at the age of 19. He owned two different barbershops. He changed careers several times in his life. Because of his deep love of animals, he ran a dairy for a short time before going into the construction business. He then went to work for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where he oversaw the construction of church buildings, excluding temples, throughout the north western states of the United States. Including parts of Alaska.

Gene and Sharon made their home beginning in Rexburg, Idaho Falls, a few months in Pasco, WA, and a few years in Salem, Oregon before moving to Burley, Idaho, and finally retiring in Ashton Idaho.

He was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He loved serving in any capacity he was called to, including Bishop, Branch President at Rick’s College, Scoutmaster, and his favorite calling was as Sunbeam teacher. He also served as a stake missionary and on the high council. He loved serving wherever he was at. He served two church missions. The first was to Nauvoo, Illinois with his wife, Sharon. Sharon passed away in June 2013. Within six months of her passing, he was serving his second mission in Tonga, where he served with his oldest daughter Sandy and her husband Garth.

Shortly before returning home, he decided he would like to get remarried and started courting his soon to be second wife, the sister of his childhood best friend, Mary Jean Kearsley Place, via Zoom. He was ready to marry her the day his plane landed back in the States. However, she held out for an in person courtship. They were married in June 2015. They enjoyed many adventures together before she passed away in November 2018. He often contemplated what was going to happen when he got to the other side where he would greet his two wives. We know this was a joyous reunion for all.

Gene was preceded in death by both wives, Sharon and Mary Jean; his parents; brother, James Douglas Berger; sister-in-law, Marcia Floyd Berger; brother-in-law, Steve Taylor; son-in-law, Ronnie A. Lindstrom; and grandson, Jonathan Rex Hamblin.

He is survived by his sister, Marsha Taylor; brother Phil (Melanee) Berger; sister, Dessa (Rex) Wade; brother, Shane (Jean) Berger; his children, Sandra Lynne (Garth) Hamblin, Kim Lindstrom, Jeannie (Marc) Nix, Jacque (Jeff) Hunt, Bill (Kimberly) Berger; 17 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. He was also blessed with three additional families through his marriage to Mary. Justin and Tara Place, Bart and Jolyn Place, Lara Marler and their children and grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at the Ashton LDS Stake Center with Bishop Justin Heiner of the Ashton 2nd Ward officiating. The family will receive friends and family Tuesday morning from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the stake center prior to services. Interment will be in the Pineview Cemetery.