Dr. Karen Marguerite Berg
July 5, 1958 to May 20, 2013
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Dr. Karen Marguerite Berg on Monday, May 20 on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia at the age of 54 years.
Karen will be dearly missed by her three cherished children: daughter Anora, sons Aren and Sam; sister Merrill Berg (Mark Doerksen) of Winnipeg MB.; brother Dr. Greg Berg (Krisha) and their children; Alexei, Adam, and Andrew of Sault Ste. Marie ON.; many extended family members, friends, patients, and professional colleagues.
Karen was born to Marguerite (Ramona) Campbell and Louis Alexander (Alex) Berg in Winnipeg, Manitoba on July 5, 1958. She was predeceased by her mother in 1993 and father in 2013.
Karen grew up in Transcona, a suburb of Winnipeg, Manitoba. She excelled academically and in many activities. She was an active girl who enjoyed being outdoors and participating in Brownies and Girl Guides. She loved music and took years of lessons in piano, dance, ballet as well as swimming. She worked in the Community Summer Education outdoor programs and for Via Rail. She was an adventurous teenager who participated in the Outward Bound Program and travelled by bike on the TransCanada highway to Ontario and to BC. She loved travelling and ventured across Canada and many countries including Scotland, Thailand, and New Zealand. She was a strong endurance athlete, running in half and full marathons, hiking mountains, participating in yoga and triathlons. She recently achieved her Brown Belt in Karate.
She enjoyed spending her summers visiting her grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Quibell, Ontario, swimming in Blue Lake, canoeing at Edward Lake, and walking through fields of daisies, tiger lilies and forest groves (together with the mosquitoes and black flies) down to the falls.
At the age of 8 she knew she wanted to be a Doctor and achieved that dream, earning her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Manitoba in 1982. She completed Postgraduate programs in Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Science (1983) and Anesthesia (1984). She initially worked in many communities in Manitoba and Ontario.
At the age of 12, Karen knew she wanted to live in British Columbia and achieved that dream in 1989. She moved at first to Vancouver and then to Salt Spring Island in 1990 where she set up a Family Practice, which spanned 23 years. She also served in the Northwest Territories for short periods each year helping the northern communities. Over the course of her career she completed numerous professional courses and constantly continued to learn.
Karen loved life and lived it to the fullest.
She loved the world around her; taking walks on forest trails with her dogs, kids and numerous friends; having a snuggle with her cat; and hiking Mount Erskine to see the fairy doors. She took great delight in the fragrance of a spring rain in the forest and the beauty of flowers and trees. One of her greatest joys was having family and friends over to share a meal, a round of board games such as scrabble, and good times together.
Karen contributed to the wellbeing of the community, sharing the sadness, challenges, joys and triumphs of her patients. She celebrated the births of babies with many mothers. She cared deeply for the people in her life: family, friends, patients, colleagues. She was truly compassionate, generous, and joyful.
You are forever in our hearts dear Karen.
We love you. Rest in Peace.
Cremation has taken place. Celebration of Life will be held on Salt Spring Island in June, date and location to be determined. A Memorial service will be held in Winnipeg at a later date.