Paul James Bergee
July 24, 1944 - April 15, 2026
Obituary
MIDDLETON - Paul J. Bergee, 81, of Madison, Wis., passed away on April 15, 2026.
Paul was born on July 24, 1944, in Shelby, Mont., to Rev. G.T.I. Bergee and Idella (Moe) Bergee. His family moved to McFarland, Wis., in 1949, and he lived in the Madison area for the rest of his life. He graduated from Monona Grove High School in 1962 and later attended Luther College.
Paul was a gifted vocalist with a rich, operatic singing voice. He sang for many years with the Philharmonic Chorus of Madison. In 1987, Kathleen brought her own vocal talents to the “Phil” in 1987, where she captured Paul’s immediate attention. He proposed within a year of meeting Kathleen. The two were married in a beautiful service at the Arboretum in 1988. Paul was a devoted stepfather to Kathleen’s daughter, Brett and adopted her in 1992.
Paul worked for more than 28 years as a Business Continuity Planner with CUNA Mutual Group. He was well respected in his field and founded the Madison Business Continuity Planners Group. He also served on the certification board of the Disaster Recovery Journal. He was a longtime volunteer with the American Red Cross and was proud to have donated over 20 gallons of blood. After retiring, he continued to volunteer his time to help local nonprofit organizations plan for emergencies, and he also volunteered at the First Unitarian Society in Madison.
Earlier in his career, Paul worked in Information Technology for the State of Wisconsin and Methodist Hospital. He often talked about a summer he spent working as a merchant seaman for a Dutch shipping company, and he enjoyed sharing stories about his travels in Europe.
Paul had many interests. He enjoyed fishing, boating, and golfing. He was very good at cribbage and played regularly with friends on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. After retiring, he spent several summers in Door County, enjoying its peace and beauty. In recent years, he liked working on creative projects in his basement workshop, often making unique gifts from natural materials. Most of all, he loved being outdoors, especially riding his scooter to a nearby pond and watching nature. He and Kathleen often shared reports of the birds he spotted on his daily rides.
Paul is survived by his wife, Kathleen; his daughter, Brett (Gerald) Currie of Pardeeville, Wis.; his extended family, including Jenna Currie and Noah Currie of Aylett, Va.; his nephew, Frederick “Eric” Tydd III of Bloomington, Ill.; and his niece, Heather (George) Cooper of Tacoma, Wash., along with their daughters, Hailey and Rebekah Cooper.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, I. G. Bergee; his father-in-law, Frederick Tydd, Sr. and mother-in-law, Madeline Tydd; his brother-in-law, Frederick Tydd II; and his niece, Elizabeth (Tom) Schifo (Tydd).
We wish to acknowledge his physician, Dr. Gerhard Kraske, and his staff for the years of compassionate care they provided to Paul.
A private celebration of Paul’s life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross.
Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson West
Funeral & Cremation Care
7435 University Ave.
(608) 831-6761