Idyll Rejene Berger

In her own words: “My parents, Fred and Laura Bates, moved from CA to Oregon to a 60-acre fruit farm where I was born in a Salem hospital, June 21, 1932. They named me Idyll Rejene Bates. Everyone called me Idy. I was the 8th child of 10. I loved the farm and all the animals, but pigs were always my favorite after saving the life of one at the age of six!

I walked about 2 miles to Witzel grade school, a small school with 8 grades. We had 2 outdoor toilets and a play shed. Inside we had a pot belly stove to keep us warm.

When I was older, a new school was built to bring the Turner and Aumsville students together. I was the first Valedictorian for Cascade High school and had to give a speech. There were a lot of people attending graduation. I remember my knees shaking together. I was told I did well even as I was very nervous and afraid of being in front of large crowds.

I was 16 when my dad died, leaving my mom with kids still at home. It was a very difficult time. My mom found a teaching job that took her away for a week at a time. We were always happy when the bus brought her back for the weekends. Despite the hardships, we all graduated from college and had successful careers. Mom never remarried.

My sister, Sharon, introduced me to James Berger. We were like minded in that we both loved the farm and animals. We were married on June 17, 1957.

I was teaching at Hood River at the time. After our marriage, we ran a dairy, Oak Creek Jersey Farm out of Turner, Oregon. It was there that Carole, Candi, and the twins, Cliff, and Curt were born. My dad had been a twin to his sister, Flossie. Rob and Claudia came along before we moved to Eastern Oregon where our seventh child, Roger, was born. During my career and while raising our seven children, I taught in Turner, Cloverdale, Aumsville, Silverton, Scio, Burns and Prineville. I loved teaching the little ones how to sound out words and learn to read. I especially was fond of those that needed extra help. I introduced a color-coded way of teaching the vowels and putting sounds together to read words while teaching in Scio.

I didn’t teach in Burns as my time was spent with a new baby and helping Jim with hay hauling. We had a special truck created for use in the hay fields and for hauling bales of hay. I drove all over delivering hay. Roger was strapped in the front passenger seat.

We left Burns for a pig farm in Prineville. I taught for a while at a Christian school.

Our kids grew up, graduated from college, married, and moved away. That’s when Jim and I bought the triple wide mobile home, the LARGEST home/house we had ever lived in with all nine of us!!!! The kids always wondered why we needed so much room now that they were gone.

In later years, Jim drove a pickup and trailer, and we hauled camper trailers from warehouses to dealerships all over Oregon, Canada and Reno. I loved seeing new places. It was always an adventure.

When Jim retired from driving, I kept busy by walking every day in my neighborhood, up and down the hills and the ½ mile to get the mail and back. Books, magazines, newspapers, the Bible and word searches kept me busy.

My husband passed away Sept. 16th, 2022. We were married for 65 years!

I moved to Spring Creek Assisted Living Place in Boise, near my daughter and continued to walk through the halls every day.

I am grateful for the full life that I have lived and am happy to be reunited with my husband, many family members, and friends.

Idy is lovingly remembered by her seven children; Carole & Jerry (deceased), Candi & Les, Cliff & Louise, Curt & Roxane, Rob & Brenda, Claudia & Rodney and Roger & Melody. 16 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. Also, one sister and one brother.

No services will be held. Donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

The Berger children will gather at a later date to distribute Jim and Idy’s ashes.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.