Rebecca Berzof

Rebecca Michelle “Becca” Berzof, of Oakland, CA, died Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at age 42.

A union ironworker with Local 378, Becca, who was only 5-foot-2, had a big heart and gigantic work ethic. Her loyal buddy She-Ra, a 5-pound chihuahua, often trotted by her side.

Becca got her start in ironwork about nine years ago with Local 378’s Gladiator program, which prepared women to become union apprentices.

As an apprentice and later journeyman with 378, she worked on the Oakland airport terminal project, the Third Street (Lefty O’Doul) Bridge rehab project, the Travis Air Force Base large hangar, the South Bayfront Pedestrian Bicycle Bridge in Emeryville, and other projects.

Born in Louisville, Ky., Becca grew up playing sports — softball, soccer and basketball, which she played in a pick-up league after she moved to Oakland in 2015.

She graduated from Indiana University in 2004, majoring in philosophy.

A traveling spirit next led Becca to Kibbutz Lotan in the Negev Desert of Israel and later, to hiking in Nepal.

During her 20s, Becca worked outdoors in wilderness or park areas from bases in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.

For the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, she hiked, camped and worked in high altitudes building the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado and Wyoming.

She also was a trail crew member and wilderness ranger for the Pinedale, Wyoming, Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. There, she helped build trails, monitored campsites and backpacked into remote areas.

Becca gained experience with forestry fire fighting, and went on to fight wilderness forest fires in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Texas and elsewhere. She worked for the Entiat, Washington, Interagency Hotshot crew, an engine crew based in Spokane, and a helitack crew in Rifle, Colorado, that flew firefighters by helicopter to wildfires.

Becca loved running in the Bay area forests, rooting for the Oakland Raiders and then the ‘49ers, listening to podcasts, reading religion and philosophy books, and walking She-Ra around Lake Merritt in Oakland.

A quite, sensitive soul with a big heart, she is loved and missed by her family and friends.

They include her mother and father, Judy and Ken Berzof; her sister, Jennifer Perkins; brother-in-law, Doug Perkins; niece Harleigh Perkins; nephews, Breaker and Devin Perkins, all of the Atlanta area; and aunt Nancy Berzof and cousin Zeko Berzof, both of Louisville.

Contributions in Becca’s memory may be made to the Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, 433 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY 40403 or at knlt.org.

A memorial service will be held at Temple Emanu-el in the Atlanta area on Nov, 17.