Special to the Sun
George Bernard Shaw once said, “Youth is wasted on the young.” Obviously, he never had the privilege of meeting Vivian Berg, who celebrated her 90th birthday Friday evening at El Portal II in Lake Isabella. Linda Baker, Berg’s future daughter-in-law, organized the surprise party, planning for more than a month to gather 30 of her closest friends and relatives for the event.
As the guest of honor stepped through the door, cheers erupted and party horns sounded in the balloon-festooned banquet room. Berg’s face lit up with genuine surprise and delight, and she quickly took to greeting each of her guests individually. She then energetically led the way to the fine Mexican buffet, urging everyone to join her. “Come on, guys!” she happily called. After cake and ice cream, the nonagenarian took time to reflect on her long life.
 Bill Berg leads the crowd in serenading his mom, the bithday girl, Vivian Berg with “Happy Birthday to You” at the surprise party for Vivian’s 90th birthday celebration at El Portal II restaurant in Lake Isabella Friday night. |
“My dad was a baker and we lived up over a store with the bakery in the back,” she recalled. One of the first automobiles she ever rode in, at around 14 years old, belonged to the owner of the store. “It was an old Model T. Oh, I thought I was great. We went through town and I waved at everybody.”
The birthday girl herself has never once driven a car. “We lived in Washington, D.C., Detroit, Chicago and you rode the streetcars and buses. We didn’t get a car until we lived in Compton, so that would be after ‘51.”
Berg has lived all over America. In 1938, married and with her first child, she moved to Washington, D.C. to be near the family of her husband. When WWII broke out, they traveled to Vancouver, Wash. to work in the shipyards. Then, she said, “We went to Hanford and worked on the atomic bomb thing...I didn’t know what I was doing. None of us knew what we were (working on).” Her husband, a structural iron worker, described to her working in rooms with walls that were several feet thick. They wondered, but didn’t find out until later what was being produced there.
Next the family moved to Barstow, and then Detroit. Berg returned to California around 1947, and became a Lake Isabella resident on August 19, 1981. “I have lived here in Lake Isabella longer than I’ve lived any place in my life,” she said, adding, “And I’ve been in every state in the union but Alaska.”
Today, Berg’s life is very busy. “She’s very active. She’s always doing something,” said guest Nicole Wesala. “She’s never driven a day in her life but she’s never home,” claimed Baker. Berg is an avid dancer, attending the Lake Isabella Senior Center dance every Wednesday evening, and traveling to Rasmussen Senior Center in Bakersfield to dance every Friday. She is also involved in the local chapter of T.O.P.S (Take Off Pounds Sensibly,) the V.F.W. Women’s Auxiliary and the Moose Lodge.
Later in the evening, her sons Bill and Ed Berg made loving toasts to their mom. “A great lady and a great mother,” said Bill. “Mom, if the quality of your life is measured by the number of your friends, you’ve done well,” added Ed.
The other guests then took it in turn to say a bit on behalf of Berg. They unanimously spoke of her as a devoted lifelong friend and a woman of enviable energy.
Berg returned the sentiments of her guests, saying, “ This room is full of the best friends anybody could ever have in their whole lives. I love you all. You have been so good to me. I don’t have enough words.” Truly moved by the love of her friends and family, she was choked up with tears of joy.
What’s the secret to her active longevity? “I don’t know. I don’t drink very much. I don’t smoke. I take a lot of vitamins. Be active. I just like people. I have a lot of friends in my life.” When mention was made of an even grander party in 10 years’ time, Berg exclaimed, “Great! I’ll be there!”
The Kern Valley Sun wishes Happy Birthday to Vivian Berg, an inspirational woman who is deeply loved by many.
Comments
No comments posted.