Patrick Michael Berger

Patrick lived his adult life in Manassas, Virginia, but his heart never left his home state of Pennsylvania. His late parents, Ralph and Lillian Berger, were his heroes, and his brother (Michael Berger), sister (Gloria Howe), and their families (Diane Berger, Jim Howe, James and Tanya Howe, and Amelia and Jeff Craven) brought him a lifetime of laughter and joy.

Patrick’s love for his alma mater, Pennsylvania State University, was legendary, and you’d be hard pressed to find a picture of him wearing anything other than PSU attire. He was passionate about Pennsylvania sweet corn, Wawa coffee, Tastykakes, shoofly pie, and Yuengling lager.

Patrick’s career successes were extraordinary. He joined the Manassas space systems team of IBM right out of college in 1991 and loved his work so much that he never left – staying on for an impressive 33 years as the company transitioned to Loral, Lockheed Martin, and finally BAE Systems. As a software engineer specializing in satellite and space technology, Patrick played a role in many of NASA’s most remarkable achievements over the past few decades. He was enormously proud to have worked on each of the Mars rovers, from the Pathfinder to the Perseverance. The longevity of these rovers is a testament to the passion, teamwork, and tenacity of everyone who played a role in them – all qualities that Patrick’s colleagues attribute to him as signature traits. Patrick was also proud to have worked on the James Webb telescope, the GOES/R weather satellites, and the GPS system that supports military and defense operations around the world.

As impressive as his work successes were, Patrick excelled even more as a husband to Cara and father to Annie and Charlie. From balloon animals and elaborate pumpkin carvings, to the most epic snowmen ever created, Patrick created magic. If his kids loved something, he loved it even more … helping them catch tadpoles, hatch frog eggs, and raise catfish as pets. He had mad skills at the claw machine and never said no to a day at the arcade or county fair. Patrick didn’t love the water, but that didn’t stop him from going all in on the swim team when it became our family’s sport. This man who never learned to swim went on to become a stroke and turn judge, treasurer of the swim team board, and the world’s most enthusiastic Swim Dad.

Patrick truly was the best fan one could ask for … of his family but also of Penn State, Phil Collins, Billy Joel, Penn and Teller, golf, bowling, old game shows, craft beers, and his dogs, Sydney and Joey.

And anyone who met Patrick became a fan of his: for his humility, patience, willingness to lend a hand, and insistence that life should not be taken too seriously. His refrain to Cara throughout their marriage was “Lighten up, Francis.” Yet he wouldn’t hesitate to help her with any of her crazy ideas, like putting up new outdoor Christmas lights only to take them right back down and replace them when Cara decided warm white lights would be much better than cool ones. A stranger once accused him of kidnapping a tantruming two-year-old Charlie, and instead of telling the man to shove it, Patrick calmly got out his driver’s license and gave the man all his information before heading on his way.

He truly was St. Patrick (although he never understood our insistence on celebrating him on an Irish holiday). He liked to say that “people are the problem,” yet he was unfailingly patient, polite, and kind to all. Patrick’s three-year battle with cancer was a cruel one, and he suffered far more than anyone ever knew. We never heard him complain – not even once. He pressed ahead with unfathomable optimism, endurance, and acceptance.

Patrick’s final message to Annie and Charlie was that they should always do their best, listen to their mother, love each other, and not be sad. We hope all who loved him will take that message to heart and, in his honor, keep laughing at yourselves, don’t waste time wallowing in problems big or small, and do all you can to create magic for those you love.

Patrick’s family will be planning a celebration of his life and will share those details as they become available. We are also setting up a college scholarship fund in Patrick’s name to celebrate his belief in the value of education and to support a graduating senior each year from our beloved Wellington Dolphins Swim Team. If interested, you’re welcome to contribute via this link: https://gofund.me/f798efc2