Justin Edward "Ed" Berti

When the world loses a man as great as our husband, Dad, and Poppa, it feels heavier—like a piece of our joy has been pulled from the Earth. Yet, he surrounds us still and can be found all around.

Justin Edward Berti, “Ed,” was born on December 7, 1942, to Gus and Anna Berti. He was the cherished younger brother of Angie Bradshaw, with whom he shared many fond memories, including one last special week together in the summer of 2024, filled with laughter and reminiscing alongside their Chiotti cousins.

On September 22, 1962, Ed married the love of his life, Marie Pepos. Together, they built a lifetime of memories and joy. Outside of their loving family and his career as a master electrician, his greatest pride was their home in Great Falls. What began as windswept prairie grew into a magical place for all generations—a home that will always be cherished. Ed took great pride in the trees and yard they worked so hard to establish and loved watching the wildlife that shared their space. Most importantly, he loved that their home became an oasis for their family. This was especially true for their granddaughters, who spent weeks each year learning about life, love, and how to build flightless kites and birdhouses.

In the fall of 1966, Ed became a father to his hunting buddy and son, Ed Berti. From an early age, Ed and Eddie were adventurers, loading motorcycles in the summer and heading out to Logging Creek, where they rode trails and caught their lunch from the creeks. When autumn arrived, they went grouse hunting, and when they had "blood in their eyes," they took off for deer and elk hunting. Oh, the stories those mountains could tell about their love and adventures. Ed taught Eddie what it meant to be a good man, guiding him through life’s ups and downs and instilling a deep sense of pride in hard work. Their bond was so strong that Ed stood as the best man at Eddie’s wedding, because he was—and always will be—his best friend. Eddie will miss him every day but carries his dad with him in the lessons he taught and the love he gave.

In 1971, Ed and Marie’s family grew when their daughter, Cindy, was born. Dad’s princess. Cindy and Ed shared a deep connection in many ways, they approached life the same way—love big, hug strong, laugh hearty, and make the people in the room feel like they are the most important one. One fond memory Cindy recalls is her one and only hunting trip: after two flat tires and a day at a café in White Sulphur Springs, she and Dad realized the hunting life wasn’t for her. So, they found their own adventures together, building the one and only piss-elm cabinet, playing cards, swapping jokes, sharing daily phone calls, and having long talks and adventures. Ed understood that Cindy was different from the rest—that the city and the buzz of new places filled her soul—and he embraced that. Through the years, he cherished time with Cindy’s family and was so proud of all she accomplished. “Rest easy, Dad,” Cindy says. “No more working those fingers to the bone to buy princess dresses. I’ll love you 2-n-8 forever, cherish all our long talks and snuggles and always remember ‘We’re fine, everything is fine!’”

Of all the things Ed loved—hunting, John Wayne movies, helping his neighbors, and four-wheeling in the mountains, nothing brought him more joy than being Poppa. Just hearing his grandkids’ names or seeing their faces brought out his mischievous grin and twinkling eyes. He loved them beyond measure and spoiled them in the way only he could. Poppa was always up for an adventure—whether it was serving as their butler, sitting front row at fashion shows, or teaching them the legendary dead-gopher dance. He could be counted on for endless jokes, selfless love, and of course, “cute money.” He made each of his grandchildren feel uniquely special.

For Kassie, it was his warm greeting of “Hey, Green Eyes” and the twinkle in his eye when she walked into the room. Some of her most cherished memories are the simplest ones—quiet mornings reading the bottom of the news together and deciding what they should have for dinner, playing cards at the kitchen table, and working together on crossword puzzles. Whether they were climbing a mountain to touch the last of the summer snow or building kites that would never fly, Poppa was always her partner in adventure. Kassie loved their moments together, just sitting on the front deck sharing stories, working through their curiosities about the world, or just watching the deer across the pasture. The world feels tougher without him just a phone call away, but Kassie knows he’s still there in those quiet moments, smiling down with the twinkle only Poppa’s eyes had.

For Kate, he was her birthday buddy - only missing one birthday celebration with her in thirty years. There was nothing that would stop the “birthday brats” from celebrating. He traveled more than once on sheer ice to get to his Conehead for their birthday. Kate has many memories with her Poppa, including endless hours of playing barbies, winning (and then eventually losing) in Old Maid, trips to the dump ending with a stop at the American Bar for an ice cream cone, playing Jeopardy over the phone, and indulging in their sweet teeth together. Another cherished memory is learning the rules of the mountains, including why it was okay to take a four-wheeler down a closed trail—because Poppa was over 65, and it was a Wednesday in June. But most fondly, Kate will remember how incredible it was to just spend time with him, getting to be “his little helper.”

Justin always called Ed Grandpa. For Justin, he remembers Grandpa always laughing and giving him a hard time. He always teased Grandpa, and Grandpa teased him back. Justin remembers playing chess and riding the four-wheeler with Grandpa. When it was time to leave, Grandpa always was slipping a 50 or 100 dollar bill to Justin, and he would always tell Grandpa “No, I’m good.” But, Grandpa never let him leave without it. It is just how Grandpa was. The back-and-forth teasing will always be missed along with his little smirk when Grandpa knew he had the best of Justin.

For Bryant, Poppa was always reminding him to stay out of the rough grass and watch out for snakes. He remembers playing Oregon Trail on Grandma’s computer, and his grandparents driving to Idaho to watch him play basketball and football. He especially remembers the time he found a snake on the wrong side of the fence. Poppa killed it, bagged it, and tossed it in the truck. When Bryant’s mom, Gina, opened the bag without knowing what was inside, she jumped back in shock. Bryant and Poppa nearly fell over laughing.

In 2019, Poppa officially became Pops to Easton, a blue-eyed little boy who stole his heart and brought him youth again. Despite the miles between them, Pops worked his magic to build a strong bond and create many fond memories. He was Easton’s favorite pen pal, sharing monthly letters back and forth. Easton loved everything about Pops, but especially his big yard. Their summer days together—squash hunting, playing kitchen, and running through the grass—are memories Easton shares with everyone who will listen.

To all of us, he taught us what it means to be a Poppa, and in our eyes, he was “Pert Near Perfect.”

Our memories could go on forever because he touched every part of our souls. But as our family says goodbye, we leave you with this: Give to others without expecting recognition, enjoy the little things in life, and above all, love big and cherish those you hold dear.

As Dad requested, there will be no funeral. In honor of his selfless spirit, we ask that you volunteer to help a neighbor or donate to a charity of your choice.