Obituary of Jerry George Berka, Jr.

BERKA-Jerry G. Esq., of Brightwaters, New York, passed away peacefully on July 27^th, 2018, after a prolonged battle with heart disease. He was 76 years old.

Beloved husband of Dr. Marianne Guthrie Berka, loving father of Katie Anne Berka, Esq. (Robert Edward Walsh, Jr.) and Keri Lynn Berka, DVM (Ethan Grant) and adoring grandfather of Zoe Emerson Walsh, Jerry was a life long resident of Bay Shore and Brightwaters.  He was born May 7^th, 1942 in Bay Shore, and graduated valedictorian from Bay Shore High School in 1959.  After high school, Jerry went on to attend Wesleyan University (1963) and Cornell Law School (1966) on full academic scholarships and graduated with high honors from both institutions.  Upon Graduation from law school in 1966, Jerry went on active duty as a Lieutenant in the United States Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps where he handled a great variety of legal cases including special and general courts martial and collision cases involving Navy ships. After being honorably discharged in October, 1969, Jerry returned to his hometown of Bay Shore, New York and joined the Law Firm of Donner, Fagelson, & Hariton, P.C., and was made a partner three years later.  The partners had long since retired when his daughter, Katie Anne Berka, Esq. joined his practice in 2010, but Jerry continued to practice out of the same location for over 49 years, only recently having moved his office from 2115 Union Boulevard in Bay Shore to 85 West Main Street in Bay Shore in March of 2017.

            Jerry handled almost every area of law and tried numerous cases in all the courts in Suffolk and Nassau County, including Supreme Court, Family Court, District Court, Surrogates Court, County Court and Traffic Court.  During his 50 years of practice, he had numerous of landmark cases in the State of New York, with many of them still valid case law today. Always humble and a gentleman, no case was ever too big or too small for Jerry—who still believed in handshake agreements and honoring a person’s word. He was still active in the courts of Suffolk County up until the time of his illness in the Spring of 2018.

            Bay Shore, New York always held a great place in Jerry’s heart. He was incredibly proud of his hometown as a third generation “Bay Shore-ian” whose family had migrated to Long Island from Czechoslovakia as machinists to work on the boats along the Great South Bay.  In his youth, he worked as a deckhand on the Fire Island Ferries for seven (7) summers during college and law school, and was an avid boater throughout his life, never straying too far from the water. 

            Jerry served on the Bay Shore School District Board of Education for 42 years, and was president for 15 terms and vice president for 10. He was instrumental in the passage of the District’s T-4 plan in 1971, a major reorganization to create socio-economic and racial equality throughout the school district.  The T-4 plan was initially met with opposition and fear, but through his extraordinary efforts, it was initiated and subsequently brought harmony, economic equality and racial diversity throughout the Bay Shore Community.

            Jerry served as chairman of the Bay Shore Community Student Aid Fund since 1969, ensuring that thousands of dollars throughout the years have provided opportunities for higher education for many students. He, too, was a recipient of these funds in order to attend Wesleyan College, and was forever grateful to the community for enabling him to pursue his dreams of becoming an attorney. In September of 2005, to honor Jerry for all his service and commitment to the community, the Bay Shore School District’s new central administration building was dedicated to him and named the “Jerry G. Berka Administration Building.” 

            Jerry was never afraid to think outside of the box to help encourage residents, business owners and government officials to raise the standards for everyone in his beloved home-town.  At a time when down town Bay Shore was struggling, he helped turn it back into the thriving hamlet that he grew up knowing.  For his commitment to his community and efforts, Jerry received the following awards:

• U.S. Congress Citation for Community Service, presented by Congressman Lazio
• New York State Assembly Citation
• Suffolk County Legislature Proclamation
• Suffolk County Counsel of Administrators and Supervisors Award
• Bay Shore Administrators Award
• Long Island NYSUT Friend of Education Award
• SCOPE (Suffolk County Organization for Promotion of Education) Service Award
• Nassau Suffolk School Boards Association Outstanding Board Service Award.

Jerry was also a founding member and counsel to the Bay Shore Historical Society. Longevity, dedication, loyalty, heart and enthusiasm best describe Jerry G. Berka.  He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues and community.

The family will receive friends to celebrate Jerry’s life on Monday, July 30^th, 2018 at the Fredrick J. Chapey and Sons West Islip Funeral Home, 1225 Montauk Hwy. (1/4 mile west of the Robert Moses Cswy.) Celebration of the Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, July 31^st, 2018 at 10:00 AM at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church, Bay Shore, NY. Interment to follow at Oakwood Cemetery, Bay Shore, NY. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to:

            The Jerry G. Berka Memorial Scholarship Fund

            Attn: District Clerk, Nadine Summers

            c/o the Jerry G. Berka Administration Building

            75 West Perkal Street

            Bay Shore, New York 11706

            All donations must be made payable to the Bay Shore Schools.

Visitation hours are Monday from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM. www.Chapeyfamily.com