Jerry Berg, instructor and Coach

Donald Jerome “Jerry” Berg, aka Bergie, died in a bicycle accident near his home in Minturn, Colo., on June 4, 2012. He was 61.

A natural athlete, Bergie grew up skiing in the Midwest and joined the Vail Ski School in the early 1970s. He was a PSIA trainer, examiner and alpine committee chair, and skied on the national demo team from 1988 to 1992. He was also ESF certified in France.

Beginning in 1989, he worked for a decade as the director of training of the Ski & Snowboard Schools of Aspen. As a coach and trainer he visited China, Japan, Australia, France, Austria and Italy. He lived in Crested Butte for a short time before returning to the Vail Valley, where he married and settled into a life of teaching, coaching and tinkering with bikes, cars and home restoration.

Bergie influenced a generation of Colorado ski instructors, who considered him the best of the best. He skied masterfully, and was able to teach others to ski his way.

Photo by Ron LeMaster.