Elizabeth Berg Diez

Elizabeth Berg Diez, 76, passed away on Monday July 29, 2024, at her home in Madison, Wisconsin. Elizabeth was born July 14, 1948, the daughter of Robert and Dorothy (Skala) Berg. She grew up in Marshall, Wisconsin and moved to Madison following the death of her father. She graduated from Edgewood High School and went on to obtain two Bachelor’s degrees. She retired in 2023 as a Financial Specialist at the Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System in the School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Liz was an integral part of her neighborhood and created deep friendships on the street. She became a world traveler in her last decade, visiting South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Italy, France, England, Switzerland, Portugal, and more. She always came home with treats to share from her adventures. Her last trip was in May 2024 to visit her granddaughter, Sam, with her daughter, Tia, and other granddaughter, McKenna. She leaves behind a lifetime of memories and will be deeply missed. She enjoyed gardening, knitting, Great Pyrenees dogs, political and intellectual conversations with a touch of humor thrown in, and having meals with friends from all areas of her life. Liz was fierce in her love and loyalty. She was always there to help and support those in her life, especially her granddaughters, who were truly her pride and joy.

Elizabeth is survived by her daughter, Teresa “Tia” (Michael) Fagan, and granddaughters, McKenna and Samara “Sam” Fagan, aunts, Sister Mary Berg and Rosalyn Skala, many cousins, and all of her dear friends - from the neighborhood, her travels, work, and other areas in her life. There are simply too many friends to name individually as her reach went far and wide. Please know that each and every one of you were impactful and important to her.

Elizabeth is preceded in death by her parents. 

Elizabeth was laid to rest in a private service. A celebration of life will be held in December 2024, details to be shared at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her memory to the African Studies Fund: University of Wisconsin Foundation/Department of African American Studies, University of Wisconsin Foundation, U.S. Bank Lockbox, P.O. Box 78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278-0807 or online at https://africanamericanstudies.wisc.edu/donate/

“maybe death

isn’t darkness, after all,

but so much light

wrapping itself around us –

as soft as feathers –

that we are instantly weary

of looking, and looking, and shut our eyes,

not without amazement,

and let ourselves be carried,

as through the translucence of mica,

to the river

that is without the least dapple or shadow –

that is nothing but light – scalding, aortal light –

in which we are washed and washed

out of our bones.”

~ from “White Owl Flies Into and Out of the Field” by Mary Oliver