Samuel “Sam” Berliner III, the partner of the Reverend Lilia Cuervo, died 29 Dec 2020 at age 86. Sam was born 15 February 1934 in Manhattan, where his father was well known as a funeral director. He was educated at Champlain College in Plattsburg, New York, which he says, “no longer exists,” and studied engineering at MIT. He worked 15 years for Pall Corporation on Long Island, which made ultra fine fluid filters. He left that to pursue his interest in ultrasonics, which comprised the biggest part of his life’s work. Working independently and with companies in that industry, Sam developed patented processes and devices to apply ultrasonic solutions in a variety of situations. In 2011 he was given an honorary membership by The Ultrasonic Industry Association Board of Directors.
Sam maintained a website that held a great deal of his other interests — language, theology, railroads (and model railroads), and more. He describes himself as “Technical and Historical Writer, Oral Historian, Popularizer of Science and Technology, Rail, Auto, Air, Ordnance, and Model Enthusiast, Light-weight Linguist, Lay Minister, and Putative Philosopher.” His website confirms and endorses that description.
A great number of people posted tributes on the sites that are established for those purposes. They come from people he encountered working on a group that studies the Long Island Motor Parkway, and from the Boston Chapter National Railway Historical Society. And several from people whose lives he had touched in UU Congregations. Sam was fully involved in anything that interested him, and as a minister’s partner.
Sam is survived by his daughters Nancy Cordes and Elisabeth McKinnon, and grandchildren Natalie and Eric Cordes; and by Lilia, his wife of over 14 years, her son Xavier Hernandez, and two daughters, Nilza Wise, and Shani Hernandez, and her granddaughter Javale Wise.
The family plans to hold an in-person Memorial when it is safe to gather.
Lilia can be reached at 6 Apache TRL, Medford, MA 02155-1471 and at cuervouu@comcast.net.