William Berberian

February 25, 1924 - December 6, 2020

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A private family service will be held

Bill passed away on December 6, 2020 peacefully in his home. There will be an Armenian Orthodox funeral service for immediate family. He is survived by his four daughters: Ann Berberian (husband Chris Woolley), Seattle, Washington. Mary Isaacs, West Lafayette, Indiana. Nancy Rockstroh (husband Todd), South Lebanon, Ohio. Jane Lodde (husband Brett), Fishers, Indiana. Six grandchildren: Todd W. Rockstroh (wife Darcie), Angela Holman (husband Ross), Michael and Amelia Woolley, Samantha and Jake Lodde. One great grandchild: Carys Rockstroh.

Bill was born in Detroit, Michigan on February 25, 1924. He was the son of Armenian immigrants and he was very proud of his heritage. At age 2, his family moved to Harvey, Illinois where he grew up.. He played the cornet in his elementary band and was a soloist. He graduated from Thornton High School in Harvey, where he was President of his senior class and lettered in basketball four years, baseball three years and football one year. He made All-State basketball in 1942 and was inducted into the Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame. He was recruited to play ball for Purdue University by Ward “Piggy” Lambert, on an athletic scholarship for basketball and baseball. He played one year and then enlisted for service in World War II.

He went to the Citadel for six months where he also played basketball before being sent to fight in the infantry with all other students in the Citadel. During World War II he was part of the 397th Regiment and fought in France and Germany for the last six months of the war. He received the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star and the Presidential Unit Citation. He played on 397 Regiment baseball team and 3rd Division in Europe basketball team.

After the war, he returned to Purdue where he studied and played ball. He was basketball team Captain and MVP in 1948. He also received the Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball Award. He always believed that academic work was the most important part of schooling. He received his B.S. in Biology and Physical Education in 1949. While working he received his Masters from Purdue in Education.

After graduation Bill coached in Greensburg, IN, basketball, baseball and was assistant in football. During this time, Bill married his adored wife Angie and they had their first child there. The family moved to West Lafayette in 1953 where Bill began his teaching and coaching career at West Lafayette High School. He coached basketball, baseball and assisted in football over the next 30 years. He taught classes in Physical Education, Drivers Education and Health and Safety. He lived what he taught. He was a model to students of how to live a full, honest, kind and respectful life.

Many told stories of how he helped them along their way. The gym at West Lafayette High School is now named The Bill Berberian Gymnasium. He is being inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.

Bill was a gardener, growing almost all the food he and Angie ate. During his working career he also received the Council of the Sagamores of the Wabash award from the State of Indiana, Governor Frank O’Bannon, 1999.

Bill considered himself blessed to have found and married his wife, Angie. They were married for sixty-nine years. They honored each other. They worked, traveled, lived, loved, and spent time with many wonderful friends. They developed community wherever they landed. She was so proud of him, she would always say: “He is the love of my life”. He was always appreciative and grateful for what he had. His daughters were blessed with a dad who loved them unconditionally and set a wonderful example for them his whole life. He enjoyed all the contact with former players and students he has had over the years.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be made to the Saints Joachim and Anne Armenian Church, 12600 South Ridgeland Ave, Palos Heights, IL 60463, or Meals on Wheels of Greater Lafayette, 2000 Elm Ave. Suite F, Lafayette, IN 47904 or West Lafayette Schools Education Foundation, designate Athletic Department, 1130 N. Salisbury St. West Lafayette, IN 47906.

A private family service will be held.

Soller-Baker Funeral Homes, Inc.

Lauralee and Robert Foerster

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Angie, Ann, Mary, Nancy & Jane, Our families were friends from long ago, and then we kids were friends throughout school years. My deepest condolences to you. I don't have to tell you what a treasure Bill was and I know he treasured you. Thank you for sharing him with so many others. May his memory be a blessing. ~ Betsy (Morris) Applebaum

We have had the honor of knowing Bill and Angie for over 50 years in the WL schools. They were both mentors to us as educators. And as a married couple. In the last years I was honored to ride the stationary bikes at the YMCA with Bill and Angie and Mary and Ann. We spent lots of time riding down memory lane with our shared experiences and friends. So honored to have had them as part of our lives. Thoughts and prayers for their daughters.

I am so very sorry for your loss. I knew your parents because they came into the West Lafayette Public Library to check out material--they were very regular patrons! Your dad loved a wide variety of types of DVDs, and your mom was quite a mystery reader. Your dad would come in while your mom was playing cards at the Morton Center, and was always so pleasant and kind--I looked forward to visiting with him. I moved into the neighborhood shortly after that, and would try to wave when I walked by--I have to say I enjoyed being their neighbor too. Your dad was a humble guy, and a good man. He will be missed.

Bill Berberian had a major influence on my life. During my freshman year at WLHS the coaches told us before tryouts that they would be selecting only 15 players for the team, and each day of tryouts they added a couple of additional names to the roster. When they finally added the 15th name and mine wasn’t among them, I was totally crestfallen. As you know as a freshman in high school, you feel very insecure because you are just one of large number of new kids and you haven’t figured out who you are yet or what you might be good at. But about a week later Bill told Drew Freeman to tell me that they had decided to break their rules and keep 16 players on the team, and that I was the 16th. I don't know what influenced them to break their rules, but that decision really changed my life, because I was finally part of a team and I had teammates who would be my friends for years! Anyway, I was overjoyed even though I was the 16th member of a 15 boy roster. For the next few years Bill and Fred Breckenridge coached me, both in sports and in life skills, and both mentors had a lasting influence on me. I wasn’t a starter on the varsity until my senior year, but being part of that team and learning from Bill in so many ways really changed my life. I will forever be grateful for the influence Bill had on my life.

My heartfelt sympathy. I always enjoyed my sports conversations with Bill, whether it was on the phone or in person.

Peace of mind is a call away. We’re here when you need us most.

Heartfelt condolences to Mary, Nancy, Jane, Ann, and your families. Bill was a wonderful mentor to many students, an enthusiastic and skilled coach, treasured friend of my parents (and so many others), and among those WL teachers I always looked up to both in high school as well as later in life. A kind and genuine friend. And wow, what a great gardener he was (as Angie was a cook), too! A long life well-lived and an inspiration to all fortunate enough to know him. Wishing you peace.

My deepest condolences to the family. I will always be touched by this wonderful man.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.