John William Berger, 82, of Crestline, passed away on Monday, March 13, 2023, at the Cleveland Clinic, Medina Hospital, Medina, OH.

John was born in Crestline, Ohio on August 26, 1940, to the late John and Mary (Marquart) Berger, Jr. He married Judith A. (Kline) Berger on August 24, 1972, and she survives him in Crestline.

John graduated from Crestline High School, Class of 1958. He played on the football, baseball, and basketball teams. He was inducted into the Crestline High School Hall of Fame and as part of the 1957-58 undefeated basketball team. After high School John attended undergraduate school at Ohio University where he graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After graduating from Ohio University, he attended Ohio Northern University College of Law and graduated therefrom in 1966. He was admitted to the practice of law before the Ohio Supreme Court in 1966 and subsequently gained admission to the practice of law in the United Stated Federal District Court of the Northern District of Ohio.

Upon completing law school, John joined the law firm of Scanlon, Berger & Garner in the fall of 1966 with his father, John Berger, Jr., Leo Scanlon and Nelson Garner which later became Garner, Berger, Kimerline, Flegm and Kennedy, which later became Garner and Berger where he remained a partner and practice with his son, John Sebastian Berger, with a practice in many areas of law including wills, estate administration and estate planning, business, real estate, traffic, criminal and taxes. John has served on various Boards in the Village of Crestline and was currently on the Crestline Library Board, Crestline Historical Society, and Greenlawn Cemetery Board. John was honored to have served on the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline for the State of Ohio for many years. John was Village Solicitor for the Village of New Washington and the Village of Tiro for fifty years retiring in December, 2015.

His memberships have included the Crawford County Bar Association, Richland County Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, American Bar Association, Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, Ohio Association of Justice and Ohio Municipal League.

In his time away from the legal practice, John enjoyed raising Angus cattle on his farm, Auburn Ridge Farm, and is a member of the Crawford County Cattlemen's Association, Ohio Cattleman's Association, and the Ohio Angus Association. He also enjoyed skiing and taught skiing at Clear Fork Ski Resort in Butler, Ohio for many years and is a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America as a certified level 2 ski instructor.

John has served the general public, the village of Crestline, the county of Crawford, the state of Ohio, the United States of America and the legal profession and his clients with ability, honor, integrity and devotion to duty for more than fifty years.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife Judith A. Berger of Crestline; daughter, Kelly Buckner, of Garner, NC, son, Christopher (Heidi) Perry of Galion, son, J. Sebastian (Jessica) Berger of Crestline, daughter, Hanni (Josh) VanAusdale, of Pataskala, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, his siblings, M. Jacquelyn Berger, of Findlay, Beverly (Wade) Seley, of Grand Rapids, MI, JoAnn Dunker, of Holland, MI, Jerry (Linda) Berger, of Lititz, PA, and Janelle Berger, of Springfield, NJ.

In addition to his parents, John is preceded in death by his grandson, Max McCaffrey and his brother-in-law, Steve Dunker.

A private family service will be held at the Schneider-Gompf Funeral Home, 223 West Main St., Crestline with Pastor Diane Thomas officiating. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to either; Calvary United Church of Christ, 511 Heiser Ct., Crestline; Greenlawn Cemetery, 1119 State Route 181, Crestline; Crestline Historical Society, 400 Scott St., Crestline; or Crestline Assistance & Ministries Program (C.A.M.P.), 464 East Livingston Ave., Crestline, OH 44827.

Those wishing to share a memory of John or send condolences to the Berger family may do so by visiting www.masfh.com.

The Schneider-Gompf Funeral Home, 223 W. Main Street, Crestline is honored to serve the family of John William Berger.