Adelaide "Sally" Loving Bersbach

Marjorie Adelaide “Sally” Loving Bersbach (March 13, 1923-October 18, 2022) was born on a farm in Albert City IA to Helen Carlson Loving and Joseph Loving, and was the oldest of four children. A one-room school house with no age prerequisite led Adelaide to graduating from Iowa State University at 20, earning her Masters Degree in Chicago, where she picked up the nickname “Sally” and then launched her career as the youngest professor, to that date, at Cornell University, NY at age 22. Her specialty was Tailoring and Design.

Several years later, she met WWII Veteran James (Jim) Moody Bersbach in the cafeteria line and upon his graduation, Feb 5, 1949 they were married at the campus chapel. Having satisfied herself that a career was there if she wanted, she fulfilled her dream of staying home with a large family. Five children followed.

Jim’s career in hospitality moved them to Louisville, Chicago, Miami and finally the DC metro area where they settled in 1963. In St. Bernard’s Parish in Riverdale, Sally was an active girl scout leader and well organized head of the Bersbach bundle of rambunctious kids. A clever business woman, nonetheless, as the kids headed to high school and college, she built her resume working in the Montgomery Ward Sewing Department and then spent 20 years as a service representative at Bell Telephone, earning a solid retirement plan. Combining this with her grandmother’s Iowa farm, Sally and Jim spent their senior years traveling the world for fun and photos and around the US to their grandchildren’s graduations, life celebrations and weddings.

Jim and Sally both served as docents, Sally for the Smithsonian Museum “Bell Telephone” area. Jim at the University of Maryland where they were active Terrapin Club members, and conveniently resided at Westchester Park Apartments in College Park, MD. In Greenbelt, she was active in the St. Hugh of Grenoble Sodality of Our Lady and an avid water aerobics participant until age 96 when she moved to Riderwood Village in May, 2019. Her final day was spent with vitality at breakfast, lunch and dinner, when she quickly passed before getting her PJs on, caregivers by her side.

Adelaide was predeceased by her parents, Helen and Joe Loving; Siblings, Ronald Loving, LaVonne Loving Hoffman, and Lael Loving; husband James Moody Bersbach; twin sons Scott and Mark Bersbach;  youngest daughter, Susanne Bersbach; as well as son-in-law Ken Kerman; daughter-in-law Patricia Leonard Bersbach and Grandson-in-law, Milton Kizer. She is survived by her brother, Byron Loving (Barbara) of Storm Lake, IA; daughters, Wendy Bersbach (Stephen Price) of Adelphi, MD and Lisa Loving Bersbach Kerman, of Fort Worth, TX; with Daughter-in-Law, Dona Bersbach.

Adelaide is also survived by eleven grandchildren and nineteen great grands-whom she called her “GGs”: Delee Bersbach Shields (Jay) and GGs Kyer and Kian; Renee Bersbach Mesa (Mike) with GG Miller and step-GG Michael; Erin Bersbach Kizer with GGs Charlotte, Mallory and Jordan; Jami Bersbach Westland (Scott) and GG’s Whitney and Gavin; Tami Bersbach Hunt (Jacob) with twin GGs, Hannah and JJ; Robert Bersbach (Susan) and newest GG born Sept. 2022 Henry Scott Bersbach; Granddaughter Erin Price Tiger (Mike); Ryann Price Gerwig (Jeff) with GGs Riley and Ashton; Brianne Bersbach LeDe (Britt) with GG Ridley; step-grandchildren Dr. Marc Kerman with step-GGs, Payge Kerman Cain (Matt) and Nicole Kerman; and Dr. Melissa Kerman Sporn (Jeff) with step-GGs, Samantha and Eli.

Adelaide’s cremains will be placed with her husband Jim at Arlington Cemetery where family will celebrate her life at her 100th Heavenly Birthday, March 13, 2023.
Among the things that drew Jim and Sally together was their love of dance and music. In fact, Adelaide was a violinist in the Albert City Iowa High Orchestra. She was a longtime patron and board member of the Prince Georges Philharmonic.

In lieu of flowers, please support the arts and donate to Prince George Philharmonic and when presented with the opportunity to sit or dance, listen or sing—choose dancing and singing!