Malcolm Berd Obituary

Dear family: It was only through an internet search that I learned of Mal's death. I was a student of his back in 1979 and eventually became a student aide and worked in his office for a year. Mal was, without a doubt, my favorite college professor of all time and I cherished every single moment of his classes. He was a wonderful teacher, good friend and an amazing example of how we should treat one another. He loved you all so very much and he spoke of you with such love. Mal felt so lucky to have you and he didn't realize it was all of us so lucky to have him. I'm so sorry for the late entry but I want you to know my heart and my prayers will always be with you.

Dear Luz and Lizzie,
Somehow throughout the years we lost touch and never knew why. Luz, you and Mal are what brought us together so many years ago. Mal was such a light hearted spirit and so loving and he and you instilled in us the love of learning. I'm so sorry for your loss but perhaps we can find our way back to you. God bless you and you will be in our prayers.
John and Barbie Boltz

Dear Luz and Lizzie-
This is sad news indeed and our thoughts and prayers are with you. When I first met Prof. Berd –I‘ve always been reluctant to call him ‘Mal’ -I was a first generation student without the knowledge or guidance of what to make of college. I remember fondly Prof. Berd’s energy and devotion to teaching. Truth was no less important to him but somehow secondary to his mission; preparing the way to truth. He would challenge any opinion expressed in class with the hope that the student would be critical enough to search out the truth for himself.
Triton College did not have the best students but its very best students could be found in Prof. Berd’s classes and many of them kept in contact with him over the years. He was an academic in spirit though he left no published book- his PhD dissertation is rumored to have been well over 650 pages- and he seemed to take great pleasure in Luz’s work and the language department she was building at Benedictine University.
Prof. Berd would often talk to me about his life as a young Jew growing up on the south-side of Chicago living with his mother and grand-mother. His eyes would sparkle when he told me about the glorious day he bumped into Luz while waiting in line and the trials of being devoted to his new wife and his mother. He would talk for hours about Knox College, his year at Harvard and his year in India. Prof. Berd, I believe, was the first person who told me about the great used-bookstores at the University of Chicago.

Prof. Berd was a teacher and a family man and I’m fortunate to say, a friend, and he left the world, as do the best human beings, richer for his having lived and poorer for his being gone.

All my love,
Bob Hoffman

Dearest Luz,
You have been in my thoughts for several days now and I just didn't know why. When I opened the Trib's Obits moments ago and saw Mal's name, I started screaming. Mal was an incredible man, always the gentleman, always encouraging you to reach for your dreams. You were always there for each other, good friends, amantes, husband and wife. His passing will indeed leave a huge void. Arnold joins me in expressing our heartfelt condolences at this dark moment in your life. Our thoughts and prayers are with you now and always.
Love, Shelle & Arnold

Luz and Lizzie,

I will always remember Malcolm as a true friend and highly admired colleague.

God's blessings to you.