Ernest Maurice Berkas (Ernie), age 87, died peacefully December 25, 2013 in Michigan. He was born in Hillsboro, North Dakota on February 2, 1926. His father, Sever Berkas, died when Ernie was four years old, and his mother, Cecelia (nee Anonby) then moved the family to Kenyon, Minnesota, where Ernie and his 3 brothers grew up. Times were tough and Ernie worked many jobs over the years, beginning with hauling wood for a blind man at age 4. After high school, one of his teachers offered him $100 if he would use it to go to college, so he left for the University of Minnesota. His education was interrupted by World War II. After his service in the Navy from 1944-1946, he returned to complete his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he met his wife Mary. He used his GI Bill funds to go on to medical school, and earned both M.D. and Ph.D. degrees. He was board certified in thoracic and general surgery. Early in his career, he worked at the Veterans Hospitals in Minneapolis, Wichita, and Detroit, and he was also on the faculty of Wayne State University. In 1966, he started a private General Surgery practice in Dearborn, Michigan which he continued until he retired in 1989. He worked out of Oakwood Hospital, where he was involved in, as his wife describes, activities and leadership positions too numerous to list, including serving as chief of staff. He was very active in the Covenant Churches of Dearborn and Cheboygan, Michigan and was awarded the Theodore Anderson layperson of the year award from the Covenant denomination, something of which he was very proud. He and Mary moved to the Covenant Village of Golden Valley 16 months ago where he continued to serve in many volunteer capacities. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Chester and Roy and his granddaughter Suzanne. He is survived by Mary, his wife of 63 years, his children Nancy (Bill) Petro, Mary Ann (Mark) Haverkate, Paul (Lisa) Berkas, Carol (Tom) Holmes, 12 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild and his brother, the Rev. Ted Berkas. Memorial services will be held Sunday, December 29, 2013 at 2:00 PM at the Covenant Village of Golden Valley with visitation one hour before the service. Commital services will be held Monday, December 30, 2013 at 2:30 PM at Hauge Lutheran Church in Kenyon with The Reverend Martin Horn officiating. Interment will be held at the Old Stone Church Hauge Cemetery in Kenyon. Michaelson Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Memorials preferred to the Benevolent Fund at Covenant Village of Golden Valley, Dearborn Evangelical Covenant Church in Dearborn, Michigan or the Cheboygan Covenant Church in Cheboygan, Michigan. Visitation: 12/29/2013 13:00 12/29/2013 14:00 Service: Covenant Village of Golden Valley 12/29/2013 14:00