Eric J. Bergstrom ’55
Eric J. Bergstrom ’55 died in Pompano Beach, Florida, on November 12, 2018. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; children Sherry, Karin, Barrie, Kristin, Kim, Eric Jr., and Kenith; and 23 grandchildren. Eric came to Dartmouth from Neenah, Wisconsin. He majored in English and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Dartmouth Players, WDBS, Yacht Club, and Army ROTC. After working eight years for the Bergstrom Paper Co. in Wisconsin, Eric took a vacation in the Cayman Islands in 1963 and found his life’s work. He became the manager of the Tortula Club and turned the small fishing and diving resort into a world-class destination. Because of his success as a club manager, Eric was asked to head a new tourist office for the British West Indies. He then became the director of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. In recognition for his contributions to the Cayman Islands tourist industry, Eric was named a member of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1962. He was also honored as a “Pioneer in Tourism” during the Cayman Islands Heroes Day in 2017.
