Netta Berman's Obituary
NETTA L. BERMAN (93)
Of Beachwood, OH, died peacefully on March 18, 2017, attended by friends and family.
Netta was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, on January 10, 1924. After earning her master's degree from Western Reserve University, she embarked on a distinguished career in psychiatric social work. For a quarter century, she worked at groundbreaking institutions like Bellefaire and Hill House, marshaling all her organizational skills, creativity, and professional expertise to help vulnerable young people and psychiatric patients achieve independence. However, nothing gave her greater pride and satisfaction than her work as a union organizer and representative, championing the rights of hard-working staff at social agencies in the Cleveland area.
Although a Clevelander to the core, Netta was also an enthusiastic traveler, touring Europe and the Americas extensively with her husband Norm and their close friends, the Brudnos. An avid lifelong learner, she enrolled in a series of university courses after retirement, learning Spanish and writing on subjects close to her, including the labor movement and the Federal Art Project. She was a devoted supporter of Cleveland's cultural scene—most especially the theater, in which her husband was active for many years, but also music and art. She was actively committed to social justice and deeply involved in community affairs. At the same time, she never stinted in her devotion to family and friends.
Netta was predeceased by her husband Norman Berman, to whom she was married for 56 years, her sister Edythe Wilson, and her brother Gary Siegel. She is survived by her two children, David Berman and Laurie Berman Sekiguchi, and her grandson Jason Sekiguchi. No service is planned. Commemorative donations may be made to Doctors without Borders, the ACLU, Dobama Theatre, or the charity of your choice. For additional information and to sign the guestbook, please log on to:www.shapirofuneral.com. We also invite you to visit our virtual memorial to Netta Berman, a work in progress, and contribute your memories at RememberingNetta.org.
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