Gregory "Greg" A. Berkseth

Gregory “Greg” Berkseth passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on October 30, 2025 at Agrace Hospice in Madison following a courageous battle with cancer.

Gregory Allan Berkseth was born in Baldwin, Wisconsin on July 3, 1954, to Oscar and Celia Berkseth. He graduated from Baldwin-Woodville High School in 1972 and attended the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science and Environmental Change with an emphasis in Chemistry and Earth Science in 1980.

Greg married Kathleen (Kathy) Lange on October 16, 1982; they were married for 38 years prior to her passing in 2020. Together, they had two daughters, Kali and Kelsey, and three grandchildren, Maja, Sofia, and Eli. Greg found love again with Joyce Fox, and they were married on September 9, 2023.

Greg grew up the youngest of eight children in Baldwin, where he thoroughly enjoyed working in the fields and driving tractor on the family farm. Some of his fondest childhood memories were time spent with his dad and Sundays at the Wernlund farm, getting into mischief. He later moved to Madison with Kathy, and together they made their home in McFarland for over 30 years. Here they raised their daughters, with Greg being their biggest supporter and instilling in them his philosophy of treating others as you would like to be treated. When he was promoted to grandpa in 2016, a job he took very seriously, he was able to instill this in his grandchildren as well. He enjoyed taking them to the library, reading books to them while they sat on his lap, and his monthly “Maja and Grandpa” days. After he and Joyce married, he gained bonus grandchildren that he loved and adored as well.

Greg was employed as a chemist at the State Lab of Hygiene until his retirement in 2017. He was very proud of the work he did there and the impact he was able to have on the science community. While at the State Lab, he made many lifelong friends who he shared his love of music, beer, and cheese with. Greg was an avid badger fan and was a long-time season ticket holder for men’s basketball and women’s hockey. Greg enjoyed music, whether it was attending concerts or listening to records - he found that music “massaged his soul”. Greg and Joyce spent many hours together listening to the music they loved.

Greg is survived by his daughters, Kali (Scott) Lenz, and Kelsey (Nino) Dzanic, and his beloved grandchildren Maja, Sofia, and Eli Dzanic. He is also survived by his wife, Joyce, and her children Jake (Ally) Fox and Josh (Molly) Fox, grandchildren, Mason and Parker Fox, Ashlynn (Cole) Young, and Kendra Fox, and great grandchildren Oaklee and Theo Young. He is further survived by sisters, Marilyn Olson-Lear, Barb Delander, Ann Kerr, and Grace (Denny) Emmert, and brother Jack (Monica) Berkseth, as well as many other relatives and dear friends. He was preceded in death by wife, Kathy Berkseth, parents Oscar and Celia Berkseth, sister Louise Rice, and brother Don Berkseth.

A memorial service for Greg will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 206 W Prospect St. Stoughton, with Rev. Paul Linzmeier presiding. Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until the service at the funeral home on Saturday. A luncheon will follow at The Otis Sampson American Legion Post - Stoughton.

For those not able to attend in person, please register at the following link to view a copy of Greg’s service:

https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=a047bd9c-930e-44a8-a206-76a09fb8abd4

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Nataliya Uboha, and the staff at UW Hospital and Agrace Hospice for their kind and compassionate care of Greg.

Memorial gifts will be donated in memory of Greg to the UW Carbone Cancer Center and PBS.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

206 W. Prospect, P.O. Box 231, Stoughton

(608) 873-9244

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com