Cover photo for Elmer James Berzina's Obituary
Elmer James Berzina Profile Photo
1910 Elmer 2007

Elmer James Berzina

November 16, 1910 — August 15, 2007

Elmer J. Berzina, 96, of Sioux City passed away Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007, at Holy Spirit Retirement Center in Sioux City of natural causes.

Services will be 10:45 a.m. Saturday at Holy Spirit Resurrection Chapel. Entombment will be in Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service Saturday at the chapel. Arrangements are under the direction of Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel.

Elmer was born Nov. 16, 1910, in Ravenna, Neb., to Peter and Mamie (Majer) Berzina. He grew up, attended and graduated from high school in Ravenna. He later attended and graduated from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in 1932, with a degree in business administration.

After college he moved to Loup City, Neb., where he was employed with the Farm Credit Administration from 1932 to 1940, where he assisted farmers in obtaining loans to keep their farms during the Great Depression.

In 1940, he moved to Omaha where he met and married Mary "Evelyn" Halloran on Nov. 18, 1940. She passed away Sept. 7, 1999 in Sioux City. During World War II, he worked with the War Department Engineers auditing war contracts in nine of the Midwest states. His office was one which nationwide recovered 15 billion for the war effort. After the war, he was an auditor for training contracts, he later was an auditor for a sub-contractor at Martin Bomber Plant in Omaha. In 1945, he took a position as a revenue agent and was transferred in February 1946 to Sioux City. In 1958, he achieved the highest rank of a field agent. For the next 15 years, he audited the largest corporations in the state of Iowa. This is when he twice received rewards for special work achievement. He retired from there in 1973.

He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, where he served as an usher and on the finance committee. He also was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He loved his religion, especially going to daily mass. Some of his enjoyments in life consisted of sports, crossword puzzles, the news, bowling, golfing and fishing.

Survivors include his children, Jim and Carol Berzina of Wichita Falls, Texas, Rick and Paula Berzina of Franklin, Tenn., Carol and Gene Buboltz of Cold Spring, Minn., and Kathee and Galen Payne of Lincoln, Neb.; daughters-in-law, Linda Berzina of Rapid City, S.D., and Carol Berzina of Sioux City; eight grandchildren, Kim, Jeff, David, Debbie, Erin, Amy, Bryan and Taylor; five great-grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Claire Halloran of Hastings, Neb.

He was preceded in death by his wife; two sons, Joe and Bob; and a brother, Leonard Berzina.

He had great admiration for the staff at Holy Spirit and the priests and sisters, and he highly valued their friendships.
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