OBITUARIES
Brother George Berrian, FSC BROTHER GEORGE BERRIAN, FSC, ED.D., former director of Manhattan Prep and dean of the School of Education and Human Services, died on Jan. 26. He was 90. An associate professor emeritus of education, Br. George began teaching on the Riverdale campus, where he served for the majority of his career, in 1953 as a teacher at Manhattan Prep. In 1956, he also joined the faculty at the College as an instructor of American history. While in the Education department, he taught several courses in school administration and educational psychology. Br. George was principal and director of Manhattan College Prep from 1962 until 1970. The Prep closed the following year. He then served as director of the graduate division of Manhattan College and later as dean of the School of Education and Human Services from 1986-89. During his eulogy, Brother Raymond Meagher, FSC, assistant professor of education, said: “The two words that best characterize the life of Br. George are service and loyalty. He was a powerful force for good because he enthusiastically embraced these two important qualities — service and loyalty. Our world is a much better place because he was in it.” Speaking about Br. George’s tenure at the Prep and College, Br. Raymond continued, “As a person of vision and passion, George
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cared deeply about what was best for the Prep and the College. He loved his time at these two extraordinary institutions. He ‘touched the hearts’ of his students by challenging them, supporting them and urging them on.” Manhattan Prep and College alumnus Joe Genovese ’69, ’73, says: “Brother George was a strong disciplinarian who created a standard at the Prep where education was first and foremost in everything we did. He was the true embodiment of a Christian Brother and lived the ideals of that great quote in the new Kelly Student Commons in his devotion to serving our neighbors. Brother Charles Henry Buttimer would have been proud!” Br. George began his teaching career in 1947 at St. Augustine School in Manhattan. Between assignments at Manhattan College, he also served at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, Lincoln Hall, De La Salle High School, St. Joseph Collegiate Institute, and Queen of Peace High School before returning to Riverdale in 1962. He remained an active member of the College community for a decade after his official retirement and spent the remainder of his retirement years at De La Salle Hall in Lincroft, N.J. An integral part of the academic and Riverdale communities, Br. George served on the board of directors at the Methodist Home for the Aged (1991-2003) and was a part of the New York District Team Evaluation of Administrators. He also served on the College Entrance Examination Board, as well as the board of directors of De La Salle Hall in Lincroft, N.J. (1992-2005). After earning his bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in history from Manhattan College, Br. George did graduate work at Fordham University and New York University. He received a fellowship to Teachers College at Columbia University, where he earned a doctorate in 1975, specializing in adult and higher education. The author of numerous professional publications, Br. George served as a contributing editor to Who’s Who in American Education. He was a member of many professional organizations, including the American Association of University Professors, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the American Association of Higher Education and Kappa Delta Pi, the national honor society for education. “Uncle George will fondly be remembered by his family as a fun-loving guy,” recalls his niece, Nancy Berrian-Dixon ’86. “He always made us feel he was happy to see us, and always told us jokes because he loved to laugh, and he loved to make us laugh. I got to know him better while at Manhattan and considered him my surrogate dad. We enjoyed each other’s company, and I am forever grateful he was there for me.” Br. George is survived by his brother Ed; many nieces and nephews; grand nieces and nephews; and grand-grand nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his brother Tom.