Obituary of Jacques Arkin Berlin

BERLIN - Jacques Arkin, Ph.D. "Jack" March 16, 2018; husband of the late Lorna C. (Chumley) Berlin; father of John P. (Debbie A., M.D.) Berlin and Amy K. (LTC R. Jason, M.D.) Gerber; grandfather of Andrew and Katherine Berlin, Benjamin, Michael, Elizabeth, Richard, Mary Jane and Matthew Gerber; brother of Richard and Larry Berlin. The family will be present to receive friends Friday from 7-9 PM at BEACH-TUYN FUNERAL HOME, INC., 5541 Main St. (at Cayuga Rd.), Williamsville. Friends are invited to attend a Funeral Service Saturday morning at 10 o'clock in Amherst Presbyterian Church, 151 Youngs Rd., Amherst, 14221. Flowers gratefully declined. Memorials may be made to the Building Fund at the church. Dr. Jacques Berlin, Research Scientist and Professor Jacques "Jack" Berlin, PhD, 81, of Williamsville, died Friday, March 16, 2018. Dr. Berlin moved to Western New York in 1970 and was a research scientist for the New York State Department of Health for over 30 years. During that period, he was also an adjunct professor at Buffalo State College and later a research associate professor in the Department of Social and Preventative Medicine at the University at Buffalo. Often known as "the bug doc", Dr. Berlin was an annual fixture on local television, radio, and in newspapers such as the Buffalo News and Amherst Bee. For over a decade, starting in 1990, Dr. Berlin provided Buffalonians information on how to protect against ticks and mosquitos, safe and effective pesticide usage, as well as providing updates on insect borne diseases, such as Lyme, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile disease. Jack was born in Detroit, Michigan, where he graduated from Mackinac High School. He earned his bachelor's degree from Purdue University and his master's degree from Iowa State University, where he met and married his beloved wife, the artist, Lorna Berlin, AWS. In 1960, Jacques entered the United States Navy as an Ensign in public health and was assigned to the Jacksonville Naval Air Station. He was involved in planning early mosquito control efforts in Florida and performed health inspections on naval vessels in the Southeastern United States and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After completing is Navy service as a Lieutenant, Jacques completed a program in Preventative Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch and earned his PhD from UTMB in 1970. His research interests included reduced toxicity in pesticide development as well as mosquito borne diseases. In addition to his professional associations, Jack was very involved in his church, serving as Clerk of Session, Trustee and Deacon at Amherst Presbyterian church for over 47 years. He served on numerous roles in the Western New York Presbytery, including the Committee on Ministry, as a delegate from his congregation to the Presbytery. He also served on the Pastoral nominating committee and was an officer for the Presbytery's Christian Education Resource Center. Besides his formal roles in the church, Jack was the maitre d' of the annual chicken barbeque and was the church's resident technology expert and all-around handyman. Jacques served as a Scoutmaster in Boy Scout Troop 262 and as a Joe McCarthy little league coach. He was also active in the Western New York Computer Society and the American Legion. Dr. Berlin was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute of Biological Sciences, American Public Health Association, Entomological Society of America, Canada and Ontario, Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity, Gamma Sigma Delta (The Honor Society of Agriculture), Pi Chi Omega (Fraternity of the Advancement of Structural Pest Control) and Sigma Xi (The Scientific Research Society of North America). Dr. Berlin is survived by his son John P. (Debbie A., MD) Berlin, and Amy K. (LTC R. Jason, MD) Gerber; grandfather of Andrew and Katherine Berlin and Benjamin, Michael, Elizabeth, Richard, Mary Jane and Mathew Gerber; and brother of Richard and Larry Berlin.