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A Fan of the Boss

In Jim Berger's car, there was only one kind of music: the raspy rock 'n' roll of the Boss. He grew up in Bruce Springsteen country along the Jersey Shore and never listened to anything else. He knew the words to ''Thunder Road'' by heart, and often sang it for his passengers. ''Every time you rode in Jim's car, Bruce was on, whether you liked it or not,'' said his wife, Suzanne.

At 6-foot-3, Jim, 44, an Aon executive, was a gentle giant who devoted his weekends to his three young sons, Nicholas, Alex and Christian. He was grooming them to be fans of the Giants, the Yankees and the Rangers. And he made sure they listened to Bruce, too. After a prayer service at church on Friday, his family and friends gathered at his home in Yardley, Penn. They poured wine, made a toast, and sang aloud to ''Thunder Road.'' ''He would have loved it,'' Suzanne said. ''He taught us all a lesson in unconditional love.''

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on September 21, 2001.