Caroline Berkey & Family
Friends,
It's with a heavy heart to report Caroline Berkey passed away on Monday 11/18/19 with her family by her side. She quickly received an infection she couldn’t fight. Caroline was an amazing woman, a pillar of the desert community who has contributed a life time of community and charitable service.
Caroline and her beloved husband, George Berkey, were one of the original founders of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Palm Desert over 60 years ago. She was our family’s anchor, our guiding light and our prime example of what it means to live a truly selfless life.
Four years ago, when Caroline became ill, Val Parsel, Caroline’s daughter, my Aunt and a second mother to me, sold many of her belongings and moved from Northern California into my grandmother’s two bedroom rented house so that Caroline could have around the clock care.
As you can imagine, caring for your elderly mother 24 hours a day for four years has not been easy. Val was devoted to her mother and I know would not trade a moment of their precious time together, but I also know this has been extremely challenging for her. To make matters worse, we just learned that she is now going to have to move out of the house very soon and her resources have been depleted while caring and supporting her mother.
Val doesn’t know I am doing this yet, but I really want to help her and I am asking you to help me in this. Whatever you can do – whether it is a dollar or fifty, anything will help. Time is of the essence and I want to raise all we can to help her with moving expenses, a deposit and first two month’s rent in a new home plus a small amount extra to help her get back on her feet.
Val has shown a level of giving and selflessness that we so rarely see anymore. She is one of the kindest and most caring people I know. She doesn’t ask for anything and never gave the 24-hour-per-day job of caring for her mother a second thought.
Four years of loving care for her amazing mother has taken it’s financial toll and Val deserves a chance to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Please help me give her a helping hand.
Thank you~
Heather
