Funeral Details

Harold A. “Hal” Bergen, 97,

Beloved husband of Sharon Peters Bergen, passed away March 10, just a few months ahead of their 50th wedding anniversary. Prior to his marriage to Sharon in 1975, Hal had been married for 24 years to the late Molly Paskind Bergen. Born on March 24, 1927, Hal grew up in North Lawndale and later, Albany Park. After graduating from Roosevelt High School in 1945, he entered the Army, ultimately serving as a Signal Corps sound technician at the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi war criminals. The experience left him with a somber view of humanity’s capacity to justify slaughter. “Anything goes as long as you’re winning,” he said in a Chicago Tribune interview in 2019. “External forces . . . force people to live with horrendous deeds.” After military service, Hal attended the Illinois Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Later in life, he was a devoted alumnus, serving as an officer of the alumni organization, and later on the university’s board of trustees. Hal also served as a Director of the Public Relations Society of America, a member of the Board of Directors at North Shore Congregation Israel and as the Board President of School District 108 in Highland Park, Illinois. Hal was passionate about his work as a public relations executive, ultimately heading the Chicago office of Ruder Finn. He was a tireless advocate for his clients, among them Universal Oil Products, Madison Gas & Electric, S&C Electric Co., and many associations, including the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, or as he fondly referred to them, “the boiler boys.” He was especially proud of assisting Universal Oil Products in its efforts to get Congress to ban the use of lead in gasoline and help reduce air pollution. Hal and Sharon began their married life in Highland Park, later moving to Chicago’s Gold Coast. Together, they enjoyed Chicago’s theater and restaurant scene, hosting parties for friends and family, and taking lazy vacations. Colleagues in the public relations world, Hal and Sharon took great joy in relaxing at home with their kitties, Boris and Tuni, and later, Max and Cece. A devoted and loving family man, Hal had two children, Kathy (Bergen Raffetto) and Chuck, with his beloved first wife, Molly Paskind Bergen. Among their many happy times were sledding and ice skating in St. Joseph, Mich.; hosting family holiday parties; and taking family vacations to the Colorado Rockies and Expo ’67 in Montreal. In addition to Sharon, Hal is survived by his children Kathy (John Raffetto) and Chuck (Sue nee Wilson); four grandchildren, Molly, Alice (David Phillips), Katie and Michael; and two great-grandchildren. He also is survived by his brother, Ralph (Gale Schwartzberg) Bergen of Northbrook. In addition to his late wife, Molly (1930-1974), he was preceded in death by his parents, Ida and Charles. In lieu of flowers, donations in Hal’s memory may be made to Pets Are Worth Saving (PAWS) (www.pawschicago.org), a top-rated homeless animal shelter, medical and adoption organization. The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 16, at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 8851 Skokie Blvd., (at Niles Center Rd.) Skokie. Interment will be at Shalom Cemetery. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals 847.229.8822. To attend the funeral live stream, please visit www.chicagojewishfunerals.com 847.229.8822