Scott Allen Berg's Obituary
Scott Allen Berg, age 58, passed away on March 5, 2025, surrounded by family and loved ones at Corewell Hospital (formerly known as Butterworth Hospital) in Grand Rapids. He was born on August 23, 1966, to Norbert “Joe” and Rolanda “Lannie” Berg in Marquette, MI.
Scott was a graduate of Westwood High School, class of 1985 and a Criminal Justice major at Northern Michigan University, class of 1990. On September 7, 1991, he married his wife, Brenda (Hatch) Berg and together they had one daughter, Lindsey (Berg) Clark. On September 24, 2022, he gained a bonus son, Travis Clark.
Scott dedicated his entire life to service, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in 1981, serving as a police officer in Negaunee, MI, and working as a Conservation Officer with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). He was awarded Conservation Officer of the Year in 2001 and worked with the DNR until 2006, when he retired. He was involved in Search and Rescue for Clinton County and worked with their Emergency Management’s Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT). He spent countless hours training his K-9, Keela, for trailing and search and rescue services. He currently served as a Professional Emergency Manager (PEM). In addition, he was an Amateur (HAM) Radio Operator and a certified drone pilot. Notably, he was a first responder who was deployed to Michigan State University following the February 2023 shooting and participated in hurricane response efforts in 2024 as an Emergency Manager for Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. Scott also instructed numerous FEMA courses and Incident Command System (ICS) classes, which he held 81 certifications for. He was recently sworn in as a Marine Deputy of Clinton County for the Summer of 2025. Scott was also involved with Giving Paws and Buddy’s PALS (Pet Assisted Learning Services) which worked with students in educational environments of all ages with Keela.
Scott was also a strong advocate for everyone going through life as a Type 1 Diabetic, something he had been diagnosed with as a pre-teen. In 2016, Scott was gifted the Gift of Life from Donna (Schaffer) Poirier, who graciously donated a kidney to give us an additional 9 years with Scott.
Scott greatly enjoyed the great outdoors, dedicating his life as a conservationist, even after retirement. Scott played a huge role in the clean up efforts of the Kalamazoo River Oil Spill in 2010, where he assisted in rescuing wildlife that had been impacted by the devastation of the burst pipeline in Marshall, MI. He then worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to help protect the Kirtland’s Warbler from Brown Headed Cowbirds. He was an avid hunter, trapper, and birdwatcher. He shared his love for the outdoors with everyone that knew him and always had his heart set on helping all living creatures.
Scott is survived by his wife, Brenda Berg; daughter, Lindsey (Berg) Clark; son-in-law, Travis Clark; mother, Lannie Berg; brother, Todd Berg; father-in-law, Bill Hatch; sister-in-law, Nadine Hatch; and a very special granddaughter, due August 2025, something Scott was eagerly looking forward to. He is also survived by his K-9 companions, Sammie, Keela, Raina, and Cooper and his cats.
Scott was preceded in death by his father, Joe Berg, and mother-in-law, Sandy Hatch.
Scott loved driving through Sleepy Hollow State Park at all times of the year and would admire all the wildlife and changing seasons. It was a weekend tradition for him and Brenda to stop at Starbucks, get their favorite drink, and go out to the State Park. If you feel compelled to do the same, he would have loved for everyone to stop at Starbucks on their way to his service. A Celebration of Life service is planned for May 3, 2025, at Sleepy Hollow State Park in Laingsburg, MI at 1:00 pm. Share memories with the family.
What’s your fondest memory of Scott?
What’s a lesson you learned from Scott?
Share a story where Scott's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Scott you’ll never forget.
How did Scott make you smile?