B & W Stables: In memory of Nora Obrien Berger


	My Mom Nora Obrien Berger
	Who was Nora Obrien Berger? She was a lady who loved life more than anything in the world. She proved this by clinging on and defying death till the very end. Even one of the nurses, Pat claimed that she had witnessed a miracle. On Sunday Sept. 24, Sissy, Webb and I went to visit Gran Gran after church, which we did every Sunday. This particular day Mom was not doing well. Hospice had taken over and was doing everything possible to keep her comfortable. Mom, was having respiratory distress really bad. The nurse said that she was glad that we were here and that she thought that Mom was going to pass shortly. All of a sudden Mom’s blood pressure dropped to 54/24. The nurse told us this was it. We were all crying, when the channel on the TV that I had turned on, had an Irish Tenor singing, O’ Danny Boy. Well that was Mom’s favorite song. I turned it up as loud as I could, and told Mom that they were singing it for her, and that she could go out singing with the angels. The nurse began to shout, “Oh my God! I am witnessing a miracle.” Mom’s blood pressure started to come back up to a normal 130/60. She relaxed and started breathing slower and her heart rate come back to normal too. This is Mom’s way of telling us that she would go when she darn well pleased. Two months earlier, Mom’s left lung collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, the doctors told us that she couldn’t last another 48 hours and to call the family in. Which we did. We even made arrangements with the Funeral home. We were ready to accept the inevitable. My brothers and my son, Mark drove down expecting to attend a funeral but Mom wasn’t ready. The next day after the doctors had drawn 2 liters of fluid off of her lungs and they told us that there was a 0% chance of the lung reinflating. Mom was wide awake and had a great day with her sons, holding their hands and motioning to the next person to come hold her hand. She had not been able to talk since her last stroke over a year ago. The doctors were speechless, not just because Nora was awake, but the X-rays showed that the lung had reinflated. Her oxygen level was at 96. Another miracle had happened. It was also God’s way of letting my brothers enjoy our mother in a way that we haven’t been able to in 2 years It was Great! When she saw Mark the next day she had such a peace about her. She was so happy to see him you could see it in her eyes. She went to sleep holding Mark’s hand with such contentment it was a blessing. Everyone loved Nora. She was a genuine, no airs about her, person. she would give you the last penny she had, if you needed something. With her Scotch brogue, and her cup of tea, the door was always open for anyone who needed her. And did we need her EVERYDAY. She was always there for me, and her grandchildren. When Dad died in 1976, Mom felt that she had nothing left to live for. She sank into a terrible depression. I never saw my mother so distraught. It was my husband Ken, that brought her back from this despair. He told her that she had two grand kids that needed her and it was unfair to turn away from those who loved her so much. The next day it was like a new woman had appeared. Sissy and Mark were the light of her life. Since Granny lived with us, these two had a special bond and it continued to grow with each passing day. The were blessed to have her at their Graduations, and at their weddings, and she got to see her great, grand children too. Webb Harris has been a beacon of light for Gran Gran. Every Sunday, she would look forward to his visit, we took a backseat when Webb was in the room. Here are just a few little facts about my mom, Nora obrien Berger: She was born in Clyde Bank, Scotland. When she was in her 20’s she crossed the ocean and became a nanny for a wealthy family in Montreal, Canada. She met, fell in love and married James W. Berger. They had 4 children, George, Stephen, Ronald and Joyce. Mother was a survivor of the German Occupation. They had gone to visit Dad’s parents in Germany when my brother George was 2. They stayed a year and enjoyed being with the Berger Family. When it was time to leave, Hitler would not allow her or my brother to go back to Canada. They were going to keep her to raise children for the German army and my brother George was to be raised to be a German soldier. The underground helped my parents flee and they stowed away on a Dutch freighter to Holland where they got a ship to Canada. When the U.S. Government contacted my dad to come to work for them, we moved to Michigan, where we became naturalized citizens. From there, we moved to Florida, where dad worked with Varner von Braun. From there we moved to Huntsville AL and remained until I graduated. Nora was also a great Scout leader as was my dad. They were in the Scouts for over 25 years. Mom was one of Sir Robert Baden Powell’s original officers and came to Ross Point where they founded the Boy Scouts of America. She was a member of the Eastern Star, and the Blue Star Mothers of America. She did charity work and wrote letters to the soldiers over seas. She was a wonderful cook. Many exhibitors still remember the Exhibitors parties that she did. Cooking turkeys and hams, and homemade potato salad for hundreds of hungry horse folks after the show. In 1967 B & W Stables was established in Hartselle, AL where Ken, myself and my parents began a great career training and showing American Saddlebreds. My dad was the business man, I was the trainer, Ken was the farm manager and mom was the glue that kept us all from killing one another. She was my number one fan. She never rode, but she could tell you what horse was going to win. She was there to see both our children win their World Championships’, and she was there when our barn was destroyed by fire. She was a Rock. She kept the faith and prayed and battled and fought to keep us lifted up in our time of need. She had such an inner strength. She was a fighter no matter what it was, when it came to her family, Satan didn’t have a chance. I guess that is the reason that she has lived such a long blessed life. Because she knew what it took to make it in this world. Faith in God, Determination and most of all Love. Love for everything, her family, friends, the farm, her garden, her dogs and her horses. That is why we are here today on the placed she loved the most and where her beloved husband James is also scattered, on B & W. Stables., You will always be here with us. We love you.

B & W Stables
147 Saddlebred Dr., Hartselle, AL 35640
Phone: (256) 773-2182 / Email: paisley@hiwaay.net