Russell R. Berman

Russell R. “Russ” Berman of Holland, passed away Saturday July 2, 2011 in Hospice of Northwest Ohio. A native of Edgewood, Alabama he came to Toledo as a child. He served in the U.S. Army in Europe during WWII as a machine gunner in the 76th Infantry. After the war he spent several months studying at an American university in Biarritz France and Vienna Austria. Russ earned bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Toledo. He also attended the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, graduating in 1961. In 1950 he began working for the Federal Reserve in Cleveland. In 1953 he joined the auditing department at Ohio Citizens. In 1955 he became a credit analyst and in 1959 he was promoted to commercial loan officer. Russ moved up to Vice President in 1960 and became Executive Vice President and head of all lending departments in 1967. He became a Director in 1971 and during 1972 headed all operations, branch and real estate activities of the bank. In 1973 he was elected President and Chief Administration Officer of Ohio Citizens Trust Company and remained that until his retirement. He loved to golf and was a member of Inverness Country Club and Toledo Country Club. At one time he was a board member of Sports Arena Inc. and a trustee of the Health Care Fund, a real estate investment trust. He was on the board of Health Care REIT, St. Vincent’s Hospital and was regional chairman of the United Way. He was preceded in death by his mother, Bertha Southard and father, William Berman; first wife, Joyce as well as 6 sisters and 2 brothers. He is survived by his wife, Carol; sons, Christopher (Linda) and Todd (Cinda) Berman; grandchildren, Spencer and Caitlin; step-children, Jennifer (Tom) Gilmore, Julie Jordan and Christopher (Charlotte) Jordan and step-grandchildren, Mallory, Stephanie and Maggie Gilmore. Family and friends may visit at the Coyle Funeral Home, 1770 S. Reynolds Rd., on Friday from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 12 p.m. Interment will be private. Memorials may take the form of contributions to Hospice of Northwest Ohio or to a charity of the donor’s choice. The family would like to thank Dr. Basil Akpunonu, Dr. Roland Skeel, Dr. Gopinagh R. Upamaka and the doctors and wonderful staff at Hospice of Northwest Ohio for their exceptional and loving care.

Russell R. Berman

February 16, 1924 - July 2, 2011