Mary "Mernie" Wurts Berger

Mary “Mernie” Murtland Wurts Berger died peacefully at her home

at Longwood at Oakmont. She was predeceased by her husband, George

Bart Berger, Jr. She is survived by their two daughters, Ann Harvy Bart Berger and Mary

Berger Knowles Burgess her husband, Ken and her children: Chad Messer. George

Messer, Ashley Grenier, Alexander Knowles, Jay Knowles, Charlotte Higgins, and Scott

Knowles, and 14 great grandchildren. Mernie’s greatest joys in life were George and her

family. She was their greatest support, their defender and loved them all unconditionally.

And to all of them she was their “Mern!”

Mernie was a lifelong Pittsburgher. She attended Miss Sherers School and The

Ellis School. She graduated from The Garrison Forest School and then went on to

Vassar College and then to attend Carnegie Tech, now Carnegie Mellon University,

 where she proved to be a gifted artist!

  She was a lifelong member of Calvary Church, teaching Sunday School, working

as a member of the Altar Guild and chairing many church organizations. She headed

needlepoint projects located in the All Saints Chapel at Calvary Church. She was the

Co-Chair of the Women of Calvary Bazaar where Mernie, and her husband George,

gifted painters and woodworkers respectively, contributed their time and handmade

crafts to the church.

With George’s support she dedicated her many talents to various charitable

organizations including a Trustee at The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and The

Phipps Conservatory, a Founder of the Carnegie Museum of Art Women's Committee

and President. She enthusiastically supported the Carnegie International exhibits to

enable art of all kinds, and many projects at the Buhl Science Center. Mernie was

Chairman of the Antiques Auction, and Founder of the Carnegie Museum Decorative

Arts Symposium. In addition, she was a Co-Founder of The Three Rivers Arts Festival

where some of her paintings were displayed and sold.

  Gardening was one of her passions which she shared with many. She will be

remembered for her true love of gardening, for her horticultural knowledge and creativity

not only in her own gardens but those at Phipps Conservatory, Carnegie Museum,

gardens at her Canadian cottage, Longwood at Oakmont, and the many gardens of her

children and grandchildren. Mernie was a member of The Window Box Garden Club

and president of The Garden Club of Allegheny County where she Co-Chaired the

major fundraisers. In 2021 she received a special award from the Garden Club of

America for 50 years of service. Happiness to Mern was having a trowel in her hand!

Mernie was a gifted athlete and enjoyed the outdoors. Most often seen out and

about on her daily walks brightening everyone's day she crossed paths with. She was

always thinking of others, sending notes and baked goods to lift those around her. Her

Birthday Book was a legend, at the first of each month, Mernie sat and wrote Birthday

cards, so that everyone received her personal message. Mernie was a woman of deep

faith, true optimism, immense love for others, with an extremely generous spirit. To

know Mernie was to love her, she was adored by so many and will be dearly missed.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Calvary Episcopal Church, 315

Shady Avenue, 15206, Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Ave, 15213, or The

Phipps Conservatory, 1 Schenley Drive, 15213. A memorial service to celebrate Mernie’s extraordinary life will be held at a later date. Arrangements by John A. Freyvogel Sons, Inc.

(freyvogelfuneralhome.com)

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