William Berns, 94, who ran away from home at age 13 in search of adventure and became a newspaper reporter and later a businessman, died from complications of diabetes Saturday, June 8, at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. A Chicago-born son of Polish immigrants, Mr. Berns ran away and got a job as a copy boy for the Chicago Herald American and slept in the newspaper’s basement among rolls of unused paper, said his grandson Jason Brett. Three years later, Mr. Berns began writing for the Herald American, according to his daughter Barbara. Looking for more stable work after he married his late wife, Ann, he became a salesman at a local dairy, and later sold condiments and root beer. During the Korean War, Mr. Berns started a business putting vending machines on military bases. In the mid-1950s, he started another business: office coffee. Mr. Berns convinced companies to buy his coffeepots and sign up for weekly deliveries of coffee supplies. Mr. Berns’ great love, aside from his family, was the United States, his daughter said. “He would stop at every historical monument. He wanted to see this country,” she said. “His heart, after 94 years was still extremely strong, and I’m convinced that’s because it was the most exercised part of him,” his grandson said. Mr. Berns also is survived by another daughter, Mickie Brett; four other grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Services have been held.
