Christopher Edward Berger II
Aug 23, 1968 -
Aug 6, 2020
Christopher Edward Berger II, lifetime Alaskan and resident of Wasilla, Alaska, passed away at home in his wife's arms in the early morning hours of Aug. 6, 2020. He was just shy of his 52nd birthday. Chris fought a very aggressive form of lung cancer.
Per his request, Chris's "Big Party" celebration and memorial will take place on Aug. 22, 2021, at 4 p.m., at Drifter's Lodge in Cooper Landing, Alaska, located on the Sterling Highway on the Kenai Peninsula. Please email chrismemorial2021@gmail.com for information regarding celebration events and venue accommodations.
Born on Aug. 23, 1968, in West Covina, Calif., to Judith E. Lyon and Christopher E. Berger Sr., Chris moved as a boy with his family to the Kenai Peninsula in the 1970s. His early youth was spent in Nikiski and he would often say "I was raised by a pack of wolves on the north road ..." when telling stories of his boyhood chasing down squirrels with his .22 rifle and his half-wolf pup, Cyrano.
Chris's family moved to Anchorage while he was still in grade school. He graduated Stellar High School in Anchorage in 1986. Always ready to go on an adventure or tell a tale about one, Chris was known for as a cool kid, a talented martial artist, an inventive wit and a go-getter. As his friends tell it, he had a great imagination, was a great storyteller and cowboy poet, and was very social. He eschewed school sports despite his martial arts training and joined the choir because "... that was where the girls were!"
Chris had a passion for travel. It started in Europe not long after he graduated high school. He fought a man in a dark alley in Istanbul, rode trains through Hungary with pretty girls, and picked oranges in Greece when he ran out of money. He saw dawns and sunsets over temples in Thailand and Cambodia, swam with sharks in Tahiti, and danced with passion on the beach under a full moon at Koh Phangan. He was a generous, happy man who honeymooned with joy on the Grand Canal in Venice. His jaunty footsteps were heard as an echo to the laughter of fun with friends on the cobblestone streets of Amsterdam and Den Haag. By the time he passed, Chris had traveled four continents and over 100 separate cities in 22 countries.
Chris loved his work. A consummate electrical craftsman, by the age of 30 he'd attained the highest licensure of his trade as a Master Electrician and licensed Electrical Administrator. He never failed to renew his licensure in three states and was particularly respected in Alaska oilfields where he'd predominantly worked since 1989. His laser focus for details, mastery of electrical construction, and his willingness to lead by example through his hard work ethic made Chris a formidable electrical project manager. He was a boss who never hesitated to learn from others, or take the time to mentor them. He was proud of the reputation he built for honesty and integrity when he owned Alaska Technical Electric in Anchorage between 1999-2006. His career ended as one of two operating area electrical and mechanical supervisors at Hilcorp Alaska. Like his alternate, Chris's final position at Hilcorp was responsible for the oversight and smooth running of electrical and mechanical infrastructure for the largest operating area of the largest oilfield in North America. "... not bad for a north road kid from Nikiski" he said, upon accepting Hilcorp's offer in April 2020. He regretted not being able to continue in that role due to the rapid advancement of his cancer.
Chris is survived by his beloved family in his wife, Zo (Carol Zo Herriges), his stepchildren, Carrie Whitfield of Anchorage, Dasan Sherman of Wasilla and Matt Chandronait with daughter-in-law, Eleanor Van Slyke, and grandson, Theodore Chandronait of San Francisco, Calif.; his loving parents, Judith E. Lyon of Pahoa, Hawaii, and Christopher E. Berger Sr. of Cha Am, Thailand; his beloved sister, Kirsten Bolton (nee Berger)with brother-in-law, Sean Bolton and niece, Rachel Bolton of Springfield, Ore.; his much loved uncle, John R. Anderson of Wasilla; his maternal aunt, Nyla Lyon of Reseda, Calif.; his father-in-law, Rod Fisher of Whitefish, Mont.; sisters-in law, Gail White of Blackfoot, Idaho, and Dr. Ivy Merriot of Three Forks, Mont.; his brother-in-law, Tom Fisher of Wrangell; and countless friends he thought of as family worldwide.
To quote one of Chris's friends from high school: Chris "... was an intellectual, a writer, a martial arts fan, a comedian, a leader. He embodied 'cool,' and his confidence was contagious. He broke down barriers and everyone got along when he was around ... He was a bright light, a brilliant soul, and today the world is a shade dimmer."
In lieu of flowers or cards, the family asks that donations be made in Chris's name to your local cancer society, and that you save the date to attend his "Big Party" memorial on the banks of the Kenai River in 2021. His instructions were: "Make it after the pandemic has passed, honey. I don't want anyone dying of Covid because they came to my funeral." Chris's great sense of humor, think-ahead kindness, and generous provision for those he loved are now legendary. He will be sorely missed by many, and forgotten by none.
