David Elmer Berglin

David Elmer Berglin, 93, was born in Harding, Washington, on August 16, 1923, and passed away at his home in Walla Walla, on March 7, 2017, surrounded by his family.

Raised in Grand Coulee, Washington, he began working on the Grand Coulee Dam Construction Project after graduating from high school. He was drafted into the Army in 1943, and served in England and France as an X-ray technician and driver for the Colonel during World War II, and honorably discharged in March of 1946.

After the war he worked as a carpenter and auto mechanic before enrolling in the engineering program at Washington State College (now WSU) in 1951. At WSU he fell in love and married Bernadine Livengood on February 7, 1953. In 1954, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

His first job as an Engineer began with General Electric in the gas turbine division which took the family to Fort Wayne, Indiana, Schenectady, New York and Boston, Massachusetts. In 1958, the family moved to Walla Walla where he worked for the Corps of Engineers, involved in nearly every Snake River Dam among other projects, until he retired in 1987 as Chief of Estimates.

Dave loved to plan, build things, could repair anything and was most generous to all; as he loved helping people. His faith in God, his family and his host of friends were the most important to him. He lived for them.

He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Bernie; his four children: Jayme Crow, Bruce (Dee) Berglin, Brian (JennieLynn) Berglin and John (Kjerstin) Berglin; his 10 grandchildren: Lindsay (Quinten) Burnett, Megan Cook, Kristen Kelly, AJ (Ali) Berglin, Fallon (Jason) Weber, Cayde Berglin, Rachel Berglin, Sarah Berglin, Josh Berglin, Hannali Berglin; and his three great-grandchildren: Daisy Burnett, Brody Burnett and Zander Cook.

Viewing and visitation will be held on Friday, March 17, 2017, from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. at the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. at the Blue Mountain Community Church, 928 Sturm Ave., Walla Walla. Interment will follow at Blue Mountain Memorial Gardens of College Place, Washington. Memorial contributions may be made to Walla Walla Community Hospice through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Friends and family are invited to sign the online guest book at www.herringgroseclose.com.