Dick Bergenback dies at 90; top-notch thrower for almost 50 years

Dick had a thrower wife, Audrey.

Richard “Dick” Bergenback — a national-class masters thrower out of Tennessee — competed for almost 50 years. His last major season was 2012, when he threw in meets like the USATF Southeastern Masters Championships and Senior Olympics in Tennessee and Georgia. Now we learn that he died Nov. 20 at his Chattanooga home — less than a month after entering M90. His friend and colleague Bob Osterhoudt graciously shared info: “He was born on October 23, 1926, in eastern Pennsylvania; he won a baccalaureate degree in earth sciences from Lafayette College, where he was an exceptional defensive end in football and a leading all-around track and field athlete (most notably a distinguished javelin thrower).” Some may be comforted to know Dick will reunite with his Senior Olympian wife, Audrey, who passed in July 2015. She was a thrower, too.

Bob continues:

Dick served two years in the U.S. Army and completed a Ph.D. degree in geological sciences at Penn State University. Services were Nov. 25, and interment was private.

Dick was for many years an assistant intercollegiate track and field coach (mainly in the throwing events) at several colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Tennessee.

He was a major figure in the Baltimore Olympic Club throughout its most memorable years, competed in masters track and field (principally as a javelin and hammer thrower) for almost fifty years, and annexed numerous Tennessee state masters titles and several American national masters titles.

He was among the foremost limestone geologists in the nation, serving on the staff of the Tennessee Valley Authority as well as on the faculties of several major American universities (most notably, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he spent the final 34 years of his long and luminous professional career).

He was an avid track and field enthusiast, an accomplished teacher, a cherished friend of many, and a first-rate fellow. Few will be missed more than the great “Bergey,” “Captain America.”

Here’s the published obituary: 

Richard Bergenback, of Chattanooga, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016. Richard graduated from Penn State, was a geology professor at UTC, where he retired in 2002 after 34 years, he was a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, he loved to watch sports, and was a lifelong track and field member with Masters Track and the Senior Olympics.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Lantis and Marie Bergenback, and wife, Audrey Bergenback. He is survived by his sons, Brian (Mary Lou) Bergenback, Bruce (Cindy) Bergenback; sister, Beth Bergenback; and grandson, Josh Bergenback. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Alzheimer’s Association , visit www.alz.org.

Please visit heritagechattanooga.com to share words of comfort to the family.

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December 15, 2016

One Response

  1. Joe Kessell - December 17, 2016

    Sorry to hear of his passing. Both he and his wife sounded like wonderful people. I’m sorry I did not have the pleasure of meeting both of them.

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