from the Oregon Music News:
Dick Berk passed on Saturday, February 8 around 8pm at St. Vincent’s hospital. According to his great friend Ron Steen, Berk’s wife Roberta and daughter Stephanie were at his side. He had been ill for quite a while but continued to play, as late as a week ago with Robert Moore at Ivories.
Steen, who talked with Berk nearly every day said tonight, “He was one of a kind. He’s in a much better band now.”
Although he had been an important part of Portland’s Jazz scene for a longtime, Berk was an internationally known Jazz drummer who was Billie Holliday’s last drummer and played with greats such as Ted Curson, Nick Brignola, Milt Jackson, George Duke, Cal Tjader, Jean-Luc Ponty, Bobby Shew, Pete Christlieb, as well as his own bands.