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Obituary: Ruth Ann Berner

Ruth Ann Berner

Ruth Ann Berner of Shelter Island died on Monday, October 31, 2011 at her home on Shelter Island after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. She suffered a stroke and passed away peacefully surrounded by her family. She was 77.

Ruth was an innovative librarian and media specialist in the New York City school system. She was instrumental in setting up Edward R. Murrow’s media specialty department, which became a working model within the city’s secondary school system.

Ruth was born August 22, 1934 in Brooklyn and graduated from Hunter College High School. She held a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College and a master’s degree from Pratt Institute.

Ruth was active in Shelter Island’s tennis and bridge communities. She touched the lives of many people with her warm smile, compassion and generosity of spirit, her family said.

Ruth was a pivotal force within her family. Teacher, mentor, storyteller, lover of fiction and the New York Mets, she will always be forever in their hearts, they said.

Ruth is survived by her husband of 60 years, Jerry Berner; her sister, Kate Nicklin of Shelter Island and New Jersey; her children, Julie DiChiaro-Getlan of New Jersey, Susan Gigli of Washington, D.C and Danny Berner of Brooklyn; and grandchildren Hannah, Daniel, Simon, Jonah and Nicholas.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The family also wishes to thank the extraordinary caregivers who donated so much of their time to ensure her comfort and care.

The family wishes to celebrate her life with friends on Friday, November 25 at their home at 14 Baldwin Road on Shelter Island from 3 to 5 p.m.