Samuel Robert Berger
Born: September 22, 1877. Russia.
Died: November 25, 1958. Long Beach, California.
Married to:
Stella Hecht, 1906-1907 (her death),
Pearle Miller, 1911-1943 (her death),
Josephine Cota, 1956-1958 (his death)
Occupation: Optometrist

Stella S. (Hecht) Berger
Born: 1884. Buena Vista, Colorado.
Died: March 8, 1907. Leadville, Colorado.
Married to Samuel Robert Berger: 1906-1907 (her death).

Pearle (Miller) Berger
Born: August 20, 1889. Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
Died: July 17, 1943. Grand Junction, Colorado.
Married to Samuel Robert Berger: 1911-1943 (her death).

Irene Stella Berger
Born: 1907. Colorado
Died: December 9, 1932. Leadville, Colorado.
Daughter of Samuel and Stella

Elinor Rae Berger
Born: November 7, 1914. Grand Junction?, Colorado.
Died: January 28, 1915. Grand Junction?, Colorado.
Buried in Hebrew Cemetery, Leadville, Colorado.
Daughter of Samuel and Pearl

Dr. Samuel Roberts Berger was born in Russia in 1878. Both of Berger’s parents were also from Russia. Berger immigrated to the United States in 1890 when he was 12 years old. [1] He eventually became an optometrist and moved to Denver by 1905. On October 22, 1905, Berger visited Leadville and was entertained by Miss Stella Hecht. [2] She was the daughter of Solomon and Fannie Hecht, who were a successful business family in Leadville. Just a few months later in January of 1906, Samuel and Stella were married. [3]

Photo taken Christmas of 1919. (L-R) back: Maurice. Middle row: Pearle and Nathan. Front row: Minette and Minnie. In front of Minnie is Irene Stella Berger, who is Samuel R. Berger’s daughter from a previous marriage before his marriage to Pearle (Miller) Berger.

Temple Israel Museum collection, courtesy of Miriam (Miller) Wexler.

Mr. and Mrs. Berger had one child, Irene Stella, in March of 1907. After the birth, Mrs. Berger’s condition quickly deteriorated and she died of fever three weeks later. [4] However, Irene Stella survived her mother’s demise.

After the death of his wife, Samuel continued to live in Leadville practicing optometry. From 1906 to 1908, he lived at 115 E 8th Street. [5] Then from 1909 to 1911, he and Irene Stella lived at 143 W 7th Street with Solomon and Fannie Hecht, his late wife’s parents. [6] Life took another turn in 1911 when Samuel married Pearle Miller. His new wife was the daughter of Nathan and Minnie Miller, another prominent family in Leadville.

After his marriage to Pearle, the Bergers moved to 141 E 8th Street and lived there from 1912 to 1913. [7] Shortly afterwards, they left Leadville and moved to Grand Junction. Early in 1914, Pearle gave birth to Thelma. [8] On November 7, 1914, the Bergers gave birth to another child, Elinor Rae Berger. Sadly she would only survive a mere ten weeks, dying on January 28, 1915. [9] Lastly, the Bergers also had a son, E. Stanley, in 1918. [10]

Although Samuel Berger lived in Grand Junction, his daughter from his first marriage with Irene Stella is listed as living in Leadville with Solomon and Fannie Hecht in the 1920 census. [11] Unfortunately, Irene Stella died young and passed away on December 9, 1932. [12] Samuel continued to be active in Grand Junction until at least 1943. [13] He traveled across the Western Slope visiting towns such as Leadville and offering his services as an optometrist. In the 1940 census, he is listed as living in Grand Junction with his wife Pearle and their two children, Thelma and Stanley. [14] The couple remained together in Grand Junction until Pearle’s passing on July 17, 1943. She was curiously returned to Leadville and interred, away from both the Miller family and the Berger family, in the Masonic section of Evergreen cemetery. [15] Samuel removed to Long Beach, California shortly after Pearle’s expiration. He would marry one more time, to Josephine Cota at Los Angeles on June 29, 1956. [16] He would pass at Long Beach from unknown causes on November 25, 1958. [17]

Advertisement with image for Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist in The Herald Democrat in December of 1905.

Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist. The Herald Democrat. Wednesday, December 13, 1905. Page 11.

Advertisement with image for Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist in The Herald Democrat in March of 1906.

Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist. The Herald Democrat. Saturday, March 3, 1906. Page 7.

Advertisement with image for Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist in The Herald Democrat in March of 1906.

Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist. The Herald Democrat. Saturday, March 10, 1906. Page 10.

Advertisement with image for Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist in The Herald Democrat in April of 1906.

Tired Eye. The Herald Democrat. Thursday, April 19, 1906. Page 7.

Advertisement with image for Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist in The Herald Democrat in September of 1906.

Children’s Eyes. The Herald Democrat. Thursday, September 20, 1906. Page 3.

Advertisement with image for Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist in The Herald Democrat in September of 1906.

Unequal Eyes. The Herald Democrat. Monday, September 24, 1906. Page 2.

Advertisement with image for Dr. S.R. Berger Eye Specialist in The Herald Democrat in October of 1906.

It’s a Sad Spectacle. The Herald Democrat. Tuesday, October 2, 1906. Page 5.