My beloved twin sister, Joan, passed away 10/12/2011 from cancer. She had been in remission for 4 years before it came back so swift and unexpected to us all. Her husband, Eugene, and I were with her when she passed at home after entering into Hospice less than 2 days before her passing.
Joan and I grew up in South Pasadena after a brief stint in San Gabriel before we started kindergarten. We were always referred to as 'the twins' in our early years and endured wearing the same outfits many times especially for school photos while in grammar school. We were tomboys from the start and loved playing capture the flag, 3 flys up, climbing the trees in the park or a quick game of baseball with the neighborhood kids...which had alot on Camden Parkway/Camden Court. You could not ask for a better place to grow up. So many friendships we made in So Pas endure to this day.
After graduation Joan went on to Chico State and I to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. After graduation both Joan and I settled in the Santa Barbara area where our parents had retired to. We were roomies for several years until I married and moved to Atascadero in San Luis Obispo county. Joan stayed behind, got her Master's Degree in Educational Psychology, Couseling and Guidance in 1990 through Cal State Northridge. She then moved up to Atascadero where she was employed with the county in social services (Child Welfare Services) and worked there 13 yrs.
During that time she and a friend went to Ireland/England/Scotland where Joan met an Irishman, Eugene, playing music in a local pub. They talked for an hour and exchanged addresses, etc. Eugene made several trips out to the US and before we knew it they married. They were so happy and were married for 11 years. They took many a road trip, especially to the southwest where my parents originally wanted to retire to. Joan applied and obtained a job as a social worker in Cottonwood, AZ and they made their move in 2004. After being there only a few months they bought a house. Eugene did all the work on their house and yard to make it so special. Their house had a view of the Sedona red rocks in the distance that Joan absolutley loved! It was a special place which I loved to visit whenever I could get away. Joan spent the last 6 years working as a social worker with the Verde Valley Family Clinic.
Joan and Eugene were true soulmates and I could not asked for a better brother-in-law! They loved the simple pleasures of Cottonwood and life in general. You could find them birding, kayaking, hitting the casinos, being with friends, on a road trip or enjoying their beloved Sedona and Prescott.
Life does not get any better than that.
I want to thank the South Pasadena family for making this difficult journey with me a bit easier. So many people loved Joan which was so evident in the emails, letters, phone calls, text messages, etc that I received from so many people. Thanks to all that reached out to me during that time. Special thanks to 2 great friends, Julie and Sally, that joined me in Cottonwood after Joan passed and helped Eugene and myself through the transition. I can't say enough about these 2 friends that I have known since grammar school and their long friendship with the Bergan twins.
I love and miss you Joanbone. You are truly an angel now.
Ann Bergan (Hochstetler) (1974)
My beloved twin sister, Joan, passed away 10/12/2011 from cancer. She had been in remission for 4 years before it came back so swift and unexpected to us all. Her husband, Eugene, and I were with her when she passed at home after entering into Hospice less than 2 days before her passing.
Joan and I grew up in South Pasadena after a brief stint in San Gabriel before we started kindergarten. We were always referred to as 'the twins' in our early years and endured wearing the same outfits many times especially for school photos while in grammar school. We were tomboys from the start and loved playing capture the flag, 3 flys up, climbing the trees in the park or a quick game of baseball with the neighborhood kids...which had alot on Camden Parkway/Camden Court. You could not ask for a better place to grow up. So many friendships we made in So Pas endure to this day.
After graduation Joan went on to Chico State and I to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. After graduation both Joan and I settled in the Santa Barbara area where our parents had retired to. We were roomies for several years until I married and moved to Atascadero in San Luis Obispo county. Joan stayed behind, got her Master's Degree in Educational Psychology, Couseling and Guidance in 1990 through Cal State Northridge. She then moved up to Atascadero where she was employed with the county in social services (Child Welfare Services) and worked there 13 yrs.
During that time she and a friend went to Ireland/England/Scotland where Joan met an Irishman, Eugene, playing music in a local pub. They talked for an hour and exchanged addresses, etc. Eugene made several trips out to the US and before we knew it they married. They were so happy and were married for 11 years. They took many a road trip, especially to the southwest where my parents originally wanted to retire to. Joan applied and obtained a job as a social worker in Cottonwood, AZ and they made their move in 2004. After being there only a few months they bought a house. Eugene did all the work on their house and yard to make it so special. Their house had a view of the Sedona red rocks in the distance that Joan absolutley loved! It was a special place which I loved to visit whenever I could get away. Joan spent the last 6 years working as a social worker with the Verde Valley Family Clinic.
Joan and Eugene were true soulmates and I could not asked for a better brother-in-law! They loved the simple pleasures of Cottonwood and life in general. You could find them birding, kayaking, hitting the casinos, being with friends, on a road trip or enjoying their beloved Sedona and Prescott.
Life does not get any better than that.
I want to thank the South Pasadena family for making this difficult journey with me a bit easier. So many people loved Joan which was so evident in the emails, letters, phone calls, text messages, etc that I received from so many people. Thanks to all that reached out to me during that time. Special thanks to 2 great friends, Julie and Sally, that joined me in Cottonwood after Joan passed and helped Eugene and myself through the transition. I can't say enough about these 2 friends that I have known since grammar school and their long friendship with the Bergan twins.
I love and miss you Joanbone. You are truly an angel now.