Thomas Francis Bergin ’46

Tom died Dec. 19, 2014. When Tom retired after 30 years as a University of Virginia Law School professor (including 27 years as full professor), the Virginia Law Weekly devoted an entire issue to him under the masthead Berginia Law Weekly. A year later, 300 friends and former students funded the Thomas F. Bergin Teaching Professorship, awarded annually to an outstanding teacher.

Tom expertly taught courses on contracts, commercial law, future interests, law and economics, jurisprudence, property law and economics, law and philosophy, and law and morality. During World War II, he served in the India-Burma Theater, translating Japanese and French for the Army Air Corps. Postwar, on the baseball field, he was catcher as his identical twin, John, pitched for Edgewood Booster Club. The team won the Greater New Haven League championship in 1947 and 1948.

Following Tom’s death, the Charlottesville Daily Progress said he “will always be remembered for his big personality and even bigger heart.” He is survived by his daughter, Anne Bergin; and his grandson, Brian F. Wilbourn. Classmates admire the way Tom’s family and friends loved his vigorous discussions about the law, mathematical puzzles, politics, and the Boston Red Sox.