Dr. James Otto Berg, a long-time resident of Flagstaff and Tucson, Arizona passed away peacefully at his home in Phoenix, Arizona on November 28, 2022 at the age of 87 following a long battle with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Often known simply as “Jim,” “Otto”, or “J. Otto,” he was an active and out-going man driven by a love of family, football, travel, education, and community service.

Otto was raised in the small farming community of Jamestown, Kansas where he was active in sports and loved hunting and fishing. He would happily explain that he graduated among the top ten students of his high school before slyly adding that his graduating class only had eleven people. He was grateful and proud of his small town up-bringing and Kansas roots, and he remained a faithful - if sometimes frustrated - fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas State Wildcats.

Otto received a baseball scholarship to Kansas State University where he earned a degree in physical education and was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He went on to receive a master’s degree from the University of Arizona and a doctorate from the University of Missouri. In early adulthood, his adventurous spirit took him down many paths. He served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, fought forest fires in Alaska, coached junior high sports in Indiana, led canoe trips in Wisconsin, and lived by the beach in San Diego while teaching outdoor education classes at nearby Camp Cuyamaca.

In 1962, he married Avis Andersen, a fellow teacher and the love of his life. The two would enjoy 60 loving years together and raise two sons, Erik and Jeff. In 1972, the family moved to Flagstaff where Otto began a long and successful career at Northern Arizona University. For many years, he ran the university’s award-winning career placement office, which he humorously observed aligned with his J.O.B. initials. Later he led the innovative cooperative education program and was a professor and advisor at the Center for Excellence in Education. His long-time friend and former supervisor Robert Dickeson fondly remembers him as having an affable personality, a remarkable memory for names, and a passion for ensuring that the student always came first.

Berg was also a well-known pillar of the Flagstaff community. He led a record-breaking United Way fund-raising campaign, was president of the Kiwanis Club, co-chaired a Marines Toys for Tots drive, and served on both the Flagstaff Planning and Zoning Commission and the Flagstaff Federated Community Church board of trustees. But perhaps his greatest joy and fame came as (in the words of a local newspaper) a “silver-tongued, good humored auctioneer.” He used this talent to raise over a million dollars for local charities and organizations. In recognition of his many contributions, the Arizona Daily Sun newspaper named him the 1983 Flagstaff Citizen of the Year.

Following retirement, Otto and Avis moved to Tucson. They enjoyed spending time with their sons and grandchildren and continued to indulge their love of travel, visiting over 22 countries. James Otto Berg is survived by his beloved wife, Avis; sons Erik (Shay) and Jeff (Kathy); grandchildren Riley, Kelsi, and Tyler; sister Madlyn (Dale) Swenson; sister-in-law Brenda Berg; and nephews David (Karen) Swenson, Kevin (Karla) Swenson, Travis (Barb) Berg, and Trent Berg; in addition to numerous grand-nieces and grand-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Lena Berg, and by his brother Rodger. A celebration of life will be held at the Mountain Park Senior Living community room at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 8 (4475 E Knox Rd, Phoenix, AZ). A graveside service will be held in Flagstaff at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that people celebrate Otto’s friendly and gregarious nature by saying a kind word to a stranger. For those wishing to make a donation in his honor, the family recommends the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (www.aamds.org) or Hospice of the Valley (www.hov.org). 

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