Shirley Tengberg Berselli

Shirley Anne Tengberg Berselli died Sept. 27, 2009 in her Dunthorpe home of complications of pancreatic cancer. She was 68.

Mrs. Berselli was born June 19, 1941, in Washington, D.C. to Leroy and Shirley Tengberg. Shortly after her birth, the family relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah, where Mrs. Berselli grew up. She graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City and attended college at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

While in Washington, she met Dr. Robert A. Berselli. Following a Valentine's Day engagement, the couple married June 12, 1965 at a Mormon Church in Washington, D.C. They moved shortly thereafter to Kentucky, where Dr. Berselli served as captain in the U.S. Army at Fort Campbell. Upon his discharge, the couple resided in Boston, Mass. and Philadelphia, Penn., where their first two children were born. In 1971, the family moved to Portland where the other four children were born; the family settled in Dunthorpe in 1972.

Mrs. Berselli was an active volunteer in both the community and her church, the Lake Oswego ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served on the board of directors for the Metropolitan Family Service, Portland Opera Board, and the Oregon Symphony Association. She was an active volunteer at Riverdale Grade School, which all six of her children attended, and devoted considerable time to fundraising activities for both Lake Oswego and Lakeridge high schools. The March of Dimes recognized her with the “Woman of Achievement” award in 1998. She was also a member of the Town Club, Waverley Country Club, and Multnomah Athletic Club.

Survivors include her husband of 44 years, Dr. Robert Berselli, her sons and daughters-in-law Brooke and Sheila Berselli of Las Vegas, Nev., Blake and Kim Berselli of Philadelphia, Penn., Brent and Kaley Berselli of Portland ,son Blair Berselli of Portland, daughters Beth Berselli and Blythe Berselli of Portland, and grandchildren Ben and Caroline Berselli.

Written by her loving daughter, Beth Berselli