Dave Berg, a long-time Ellsworth girls basketball coach, owner of the Ellsworth Ford dealership and impactful community member, died Sept. 14 due to complications following a heart attack at age 79.

After graduating from St. Paul Central in 1965, where he met his wife Lynn, Berg taught in the Fridley School District for a short period. Then, Dave and Lynn made the move to Ellsworth where they purchased the Ford dealership that they would go on to own until 2002.

Berg pursued his passion for coaching in Ellsworth, becoming the head coach of the girls basketball program, where he now holds the program record for most games coached.

Berg was the coach for the team’s State appearance in the 1990-91 season, where the Panthers would wind up as the runner-up. Berg was also an assistant coach for stints with UW-Stout and UW-River Falls women’s basketball. He was one of the founding members of the Ellsworth Basketball Association.

“He was a demanding coach, but in a good way. Wanting the best out of the kids. It’s easy to settle, and Dave wanted you to know that you could always be better at what you were doing,” Berg’s assistant coach and long-time Ellsworth Community School District staff member Mark Stoesz said. “Another thing that Dave did remarkably well as a coach is he created a family atmosphere.”

The two had a lot of fun and made a lot of great memories coaching over the years. Stoesz said there would be many former players from Berg’s teams at his Sept. 21 memorial because of how impactful he was on so many lives. He mentioned Berg gave him much more say than other high school assistant coaches because Berg wanted his team to be as prepared as possible at all times. Stoesz said the trust Berg placed in him allowed him to develop as a leader.

Outside of his time as a coach, Berg made an impact through generosity while operating the Ford dealership, including a strong connection to the school district. Berg also spent time as an at-risk instructor.

“Kids that were credit deficient, he helped them, or community members that had dropped out that wanted to graduate, he ran an evening program. He ended up graduating an additional 60 adults from our community that came back to get credits, and then he also kept a lot of kids in school to graduate that normally would not have stayed in school,” Stoesz said. “What a profound impact that had on our community and our students.”

Stoesz said a memory that best represents Dave occurred in 1993. After Ellsworth girls basketball player Amy Simon died in a tragic car accident, Dave had his team interact with and help the family get through the difficult time.

“I’ll never forget the manner in which he interacted with the family,” Stoesz said. “The whole process that he took was really powerful and really left a lasting impression on a lot of people.”

The Berg family is asking that, in lieu of flowers, donations be directed to the Ellsworth High School Athletic Department to honor his life-long commitment to student-athletes.

“That would help really cement an important legacy that Dave had,” Stoesz said. “Really important individual in the district. Him and his wife Lynn, they were always kind of a partnership… They were just a great team. Strong school supporters, and athletic supporters and just great community people.”

“Dave is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Lynn Berg; his son Jason Berg and wife Connie, and their children Lucas and Kyle; his son Matt Berg and wife Jody, and their children Cooper and Owen; his daughter Shannon Donnelly and husband Eric, and their children Kane and Kellen; his brother Tom Berg and wife Joy; and his sister Cindy Berg,” Dave’s obituary through Bakken-Young Funeral Home reads. “He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Beryl Berg.”