Patricia May Berger Lewis

Patricia May Berger Lewis

May 2, 1938-March 30, 2021

Patricia May Berger passed away on March 30, 2021 at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska of a stroke.

She was born May 2, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois to Charlotte and Rudolph Valentino Berger. Pat has been a resident of Alaska since 1975 and has resided in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Wasilla, and most currently, in Palmer, Alaska.

Pat’s life dramatically changed when her mother remarried a professional military man, and they were stationed in Japan about eight years after WWII. Pat became a cheerleader for her High School teams, but since there was still some hostility towards Americans from the war, the cheerleaders and athletes had to be escorted to and from by the American military.

The man who was to become her husband for the next fifty-six years, was John Dee Lewis, Jr. He preceded her in death on October 26, 2010.

Patricia was an active member in both Farm Loop Church and Palmer Church. She had a big heart for those less fortunate than herself. She volunteered to help the homeless through bringing meals, blankets, and visiting the camp to hear their stories. She also enjoyed visiting the Senior Citizen Center to read to the residents, play games, and work crossword puzzles with them. She was generous with both her time and resources.

She was known for her work-ethic and being true to her word. Those two qualities led her to stay within the same shipping industry that had passed through various hands: including Sealand, Horizon, and Matson. She planned to retire during the fall of this year, which would mark her forty-fourth year working at the Port of Anchorage.

Patricia loved to travel the world and interact with different cultures than her own. She had plenty of opportunities to do that due to her husband’s work within the oil industry. She always enjoyed travel adventures with her children and grandchildren as well.

No matter what Pat was doing and no matter who she was with, she was known for her sunny and positive disposition, becoming a source of encouragement to those who knew her. She made our lives feel like they mattered through her phone call, texts, and remembrance of us on our birthdays and during the holidays.

Patricia is survived by her two children, Deborah May Lewis Deonigi and Donald Dee Lewis, along with seven grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Rudolph Berger.

Patricia will be greatly missed, and we will continue to love her.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Chepo’s Mexican Restaurant, 731 W. Parks Hwy, Wasilla, Saturday, April 10th from 1-3pm.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.