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Caroline Ann Berg: July 14, 1940 – March 23, 2016

Caroline Ann Berg, 75, died in Salem after a 15-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Caroline was born in Silverton to Swen and Anna Sorensen of Scotts Mills. She was raised as an only child until the age of 12 when her sister Susan was born. She attended Scotts Mills Grade School and graduated from Silverton High School in 1958.

After high school Caroline moved to Portland to work as a nurse aid at Shriners Hospital for Children for two years. She then worked at Manning’s Restaurant in the Lloyd Center for three years as a broiler cook. While working there, she met Jimmy Hubbard. They married in 1963. They adopted an infant daughter, Amy, in 1965. Caroline also adopted Jim’s nephew, 9 year old Lonnie, who he was raising. The marriage ended in divorce in 1969 after which she made contact with an old Mount Angel boyfriend, Larry Berg. She and Larry married in 1970. Caroline and Amy moved to Mount Angel. Lonnie remained in Portland. Caroline and Larry’s son, Casey, was born later that year followed by another son, Chris, in 1973. Caroline was a homemaker while Larry worked in his family’s house moving business. When the children were small, she took in other children to baby-sit. After the kids started school, Caroline cooked part-time at the Angel’s Table Restaurant and then at Evergreen Golf Course to help feed the lunch crowd.

She was a huge movie fan when she was a kid. Caroline liked to watch old movies from the ‘40s and ‘50s. Her favorite movie was The Wizard of Oz; and of course her favorite singer was Judy Garland.

Caroline liked to cook but she would rather be shopping, always looking for that “bargain.” Her shopping created a rather large collection of cookie jars, wicker baskets, teddy bears, and, of course, shoes and purses.

In 1981, Caroline decided to try catering a wedding and it was successful. She catered functions large and small for the next 20 years, hiring friends and family members to assist as needed. She had a popular business with many repeat customers. She was forced to quit the business in 2002, which she loved and had said she wanted to do until she was 75. Her potato salad was legendary. 

Everyone is unique, but Caroline was more unique than most. She made friends easily and would start a conversation with complete strangers on a regular basis. Her main goal in life was to just have fun. Remember her 50th birthday?

People knew her to be outgoing, outspoken, outrageous, and also enjoyed embarrassing people by her antics but still had class when it was appropriate.

The family lived in Mount Angel until 1996 when Caroline and Larry moved two miles east to the farm where Larry grew up. In 2006, because of advancing dementia, Caroline moved to The Woods at Willow Creek in Salem.

Caroline is survived by husband, Larry, daughter, Amy (Tim) Sullivan, sons, Casey and Chris Berg, son, Lonnie Hubbard; grandchildren, Holly and Sean Sullivan, and Kacee Berg, sister, Susan Cook. No public services are planned.

There will be a birthday celebration at noon on July 10 at the Scotts Mills City Park on First Street. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided. Bring memories and food to share if you would like. Everyone is welcomed.

Caroline loved animals and donated to the Humane Society. In Caroline’s memory, please help the Humane Society and Alzheimer’s Research in any way you can.

The family would like to give special thanks to the staff at “The Woods” for the outstanding care that Caroline received for the last 9 ½ years.

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