Keith Berling

Keith "Keebler" Berling, age 48, of Gainesville, Georgia, passed away unexpectedly on June 6, 2004.

Born on July 1, 1955, in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Keith graduated from Melrose High School and received an associate degree in fluid power from the Alexandria AVTI Vocational School. Keith moved to Gainesville in 1987 and made it his home.

Keith loved Georgia for the beauty and promise of its mountains; its closeness to the ocean that he described to be an expression of God's love on earth; and the wonderful, caring extended family he had made there. His two great passions included deep sea fishing and hunting for gold in the mountains near Dahlonega, Georgia. Recently, he had become very interested in computers and was planning to pursue further education in that field. He presently had a successful sales career at Lowe's where he had worked for the past 6 years.

Keith was a big man with an even bigger heart. He touched many and left behind a legacy of immense generosity and love. He will be deeply missed but his touch will remain forever.

He is survived by his grandmother, Viola Roering of Melrose; parents Lyla (Roering) and Henry Berling of Sauk Centre; brothers, James (Cathy) Berling of Hudson, Wisconsin; Steve (Brenda) Berling of New Munich; Joe (Ann) Berling of Melrose; and John (Debbe) Berling of Taylors Falls; sisters, Mary (Gary) Ramacher of St. Cloud; Julie (Craig Lambrecht) Berling of Clear Lake; and Karen (Kyle) Fagerland of Sartell; and many loving nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles and cousins.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre on Saturday, June 12th from 12 noon until 4 p.m. A prayer service will start at 1 p.m. with general visitation before and after. A memorial service was held previously in Gainesville for Keith's extended family and friends there.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota, 1600 University Avenue West, Suite 205, St. Paul, MN 55104. Interment will be private.