So Long Chick...

A Remembrance of One of the Founders of the ZBARC
by Club Trustee Les K0PHD


It is with deep regret that we report that Gregory "Chick" Berg WAØAYA passed away on February 28th, 1996. Chick was 87 years old. He leaves to survive 1 daughter, Carolyn; 1 son, Don; grandchildren, great grandchild and many friends in Ham Radio.

Chick had not been in real good health for the past year or so. He spent some time in a nursing home recovering from a fall he had taken. After that he spent the last several months of his life at his daughter's home in the St Louis area where he passed away.

As a long time friend of Chick's, I was asked to write a few lines for the club newsletter. There are so many stories concerning and about Chick that it is hard to know where to begin.

As most of you know, Chick was a long time member of the Zero-Beaters A.R.C. and made many contributions to the radio club. I don't know exactly what year he was first licensed but I believe it must have been in the early 60's. He became interested in Amateur Radio because his brother, "Muxy", was a ham. Muxy worked for the government in Washington, D.C. and lived in Maryland at that time. He convinced Chick to get a license so they could better keep in touch. Chick became very proficient in CW and he and Muxy kept a weekly CW schedule on Sunday mornings until Muxy retired and moved back here to Missouri. There were a few other stations that got in on those contacts regularly also. Even I got in on a few of those CW contacts. After Muxy retired, he came back to Dutzow where he built the house across from Chick's barber shop. Muxy was a member of the club, too, until he passed away a few years ago.

Chick was a barber there in Dutzow for as long as I had known him. It was always good to go get a haircut there and visit with Chick. He had other hobbies besides ham radio. He was into archery at one time and belonged to a local archery club. I know that he always enjoyed bow hunting for turkey and deer but dont know how successful he was. I think he enjoyed just being in the outdoors. I remember he always had a bow or two hanging on the walls of his barber shop. He was also into photography. He took lots of pictures and did a lot of his own developing. He came up with the design for the club's original QSL card from a photo. He took many of the photos from Field Days and other events that are posted around the club. When Chick retired, I really missed going to his shop for haircuts and camaraderie.

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