By Nathan Duke
Berner, who once worked as the night superintendent in the Chrysler Building and later opened his own toy-making business, turned 104 on Jan. 27.A community celebrity who in recent months single-handedly cleaned the weeds off the Caldwell Avenue CSX bridge area in Middle Village four times and carried large trash bags eight blocks from the bridge to his home, Berner attributes his longevity to exercise and helping others.And he has no intention of slowing down.”I think I'll live another 10 years, but time will tell,” he said. “Life is not always straight ahead. Everyone finds that out, but we take it as it comes.”Berner, who was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1902 and lived in France during much of his childhood, moved to New York City at the age of 26, and soon afterward began work as the night superintendent at the Chrysler Building.He said he lost 50 pounds during his five years of working from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. each day at $30 a week.In 1933, the U.S. government invited Berner to become a foreign agent because of his fluency in German and French, but he declined. Instead, he opened his own toy-making business, crafting metal toys, plush animals and dolls 16 hours a day. He said his entry into the business was somewhat of a leap into the dark.”I didn't know anything about toys,” he said. “I went to leading stores in Manhattan – Macy's and Wanamaker's – and watched what people bought for children.”After moving from Manhattan to Jackson Heights in the early 1930s with his wife, Margaret, Berner eventually moved to Middle Village, where he and his wife had one daughter, Emily, in 1943, and bought the same house in which he still lives for $5,190.The couple became members of the Eliot Avenue Civic Association, which became the Juniper Park Civic Association. Berner continues to attend Juniper Park meetings and has been recognized by city councilmen, neighborhood leaders and Mayor Michael Bloomberg as a great asset to Middle Village.Berner said he became involved with civic organizations to spruce up his community.”We needed a civic group to speak for us,” he said. “We had no street lights. We needed our streets to be fixed up and we needed stores here. We had to go to Jackson Heights just to shop.”For 68 years, Berner has taken part in the civic organization and become known for helping his fellow residents. He said he enjoyed fixing things for neighbors and helping them around their homes.”I helped area people, but not for money,” he said. “If something goes wrong in their house, I'd help them.”In late January, Juniper Park President Robert Holden, association members and Gallagher brought a large bouquet of flowers and balloons to celebrate Berner's birthday and his years of work with the association.Last May, Berner fell in his kitchen and underwent hip surgery. The trip to the hospital was the first in his lifetime. Although he said he is now limited in assisting others, he still helps around the community.Four months after his surgery, he cleaned the Caldwell Avenue bridge. In October, he cleaned the area again and hauled trash bags full of weeds eight blocks. He said he has no problem sharing his secrets on a long, happy life.”Eat oatmeal every morning, walk a lot, keep working and volunteer to help someone,” he said.Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
