Family and friends celebrating Carol Berman's 100th birthday

Despite the absence of the celebrant, family and friends of former state Sen. Carol Berman marked her 100th birthday with an intimate gathering at the Lawrence Yacht & Country Club on Sept. 21.

Over the phone from her home of 56 years in Lawrence, Berman, who didn’t attend the party due to Tropical Storm Ophelia, reflected how proud she was to have graduated Phi Beta Kappa cum laude from Michigan State University in 1943 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

She met her husband of 76 years and love of her life Jerry Berman at MSU in 1941, they were engaged in 1943 before Jerry was drafted into the Army Air Force and were married in 1944. Jerry died in 2020.

“Politics always interested me,” said Berman, and her activism started as a leader in the movement to prohibit “the extremely noisy” supersonic transport planes at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The series of protests that she organized led to the reduction of the Concorde’s scheduled flights, and it was the defining moment in her public service that helped launch her state senate race.

She served in the state senate from 1979 to 1984, as one of only five female senators, and the first Democrat elected to the State Senate from Nassau County. Because of this, she said, “I had to work that much harder. It was the start of something big.”

Prominently displayed in the room was a citation from Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti, “for her incredible life of public service,” a letter form Gov. Kathy Hochul stating that “you are an inspiration to us all,” and a proclamation personally delivered by state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli praising Berman for her devotion “to building stronger communities and creating a brighter future for all.”

DiNapoli first met Berman over 50 years ago and said, “a lot of people would push a teenager aside, but Carol Berman embraced me and said that it’s great that you want to be involved in politics. Her own tenure as an elected official was incredibly impactful. For Nassau County, she’s truly one of our leading ladies in every way.”

But Carol Berman’s voice most brimmed with pride when talking about her children, Charles Berman and Elizabeth Berry, noting their accomplishments, and saying that she’s “grateful that they never once said to me: ‘Mom, can you please just stay home?’”

“My mother did so much for her community during her lifetime, as one of the leaders of the local Democratic Party, and one of the first women to be elected to the State Senate,” Charles said. She’s done a lot, and to make it to 100 is just another milestone and a great accomplishment.”

For daughter Elizabeth Berry, “She always had a very good balance between family and career and a very early example to thousands of women of somebody who’s able to manage it all, “Berry said. “She’s very supportive, full of humor and wit, and gave my brother and me a great public service ethic.”

Berman had some words of wisdom from her long life.

“I loved my constituents, I love people, and I enjoy people, as I love and enjoy every single day,” she said. “Keep on keeping on and do the best you can.”