Ira David Berg of Savoy and formerly of Urbana, passed
away on Sunday, October 5, 2025 at 93 years of age.
He was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in a private
ceremony officiated by Rabbi Tiechtel of Illini Chabad.
He lies next to his beloved wife and children’s mother,
Mary Ann Berg.
He was born on November 27, 1931, in Allentown PA the
son of Frank & Molly (Greenspon) Berg. He married
Mary Ann Secarea on September 1, 1962, in Erie PA.
David is survived by his son Richard Berg of Dallas, TX;
daughters Frances Ann Berg & her partner Jeremy Self of Albuquerque, NM and
Rebecca & son in law Thomas Blakeslee of Vincennes,
IN; grandson Robert Blakeslee of Boston, Mass.
He is preceded by his parents, his wife Mary Ann, and his
sister Barbara Berg.
David’s career as a mathematician began at University of
Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of business. He then
earned a PhD in mathematics from Lehigh University in
1962 with a dissertation on semi-periodic sequences. He
completed his postdoctoral studies at Yale University and
then became a professor of mathematics at the University
of Illinois, where he taught from 1964 until his retirement
in the 2000’s. He was a prolific researcher and remained
active in publishing even after retirement. He published as
recently as 2018 in the Michigan Mathematical Journal. 

In his free time, David enjoyed playing soccer, biking,
and engaging in strategic games like chess and Go. He
and Mary Ann were also deeply devoted to their family
pets and passionate supporters of the local animal
shelters.
He was a member of Sinai Temple and found fulfillment
in helping with campus Chabad.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, to be
announced.
Memorial contributions may be made to Champaign
County Humane Society, Illini Chabad, or Sinai Temple,
Champaign. Condolences may be made at www.renner-
wikoffchapel.com