Berit Bergan

Our beloved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great-grandmother, Berit Bjelland Bergan, of Gulf Breeze, FL., passed away on Feb 15, 2016 after an extended illness. Berit was born on 24 August 1929 to her parents, Ragnvald Bjelland , Consul to Finland and Belgium, and Dagny Bjelland (b. Christensen) of Stavanger, Norway, being the only daughter of 5 children with 3 older brothers and a younger brother. Berit was raised , and graduated from high school in Stavanger, Norway. As a young lady, at the age of 18, she travelled to Ljungskile, Sweden to attend the Vastkustens Husmodersskola (School of Domestic Sciences) from January 1947 – August 1947 , something she thoroughly enjoyed. She especially took an interest in the area of infant care. In March of 1948 she left Stavanger, Norway, again, this time to board the ship "S.S .Stavangerfjord" , sailing across the Atlantic Ocean with the destination of New York. Once in the United States, she left for Cambridge, Massachussetts where she started her further education at Lesley College, now Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachussetts. Once she completed her education at Lesley College, she became employed by the Automobile League of America in Boston, Massachussetts as a Travel Counselor, where she remained in employment until 1954 , at which time when she returned to Norway. It was in Norway she met and married her future husband, Ian-Conrad Bergan, of Oslo, Norway. She was the mother of 4 children, and raised them with her husband in Norway until the family immigrated to the Gulf Breeze , Florida 36 years ago. Berit became a member of the Odd Fellow Rebecca Lodge Irene in Oslo, Norway in 1967; she was an active member of that lodge up until the time she immigrated to the USA. She enjoyed the social interaction and fellowship very much, and participated in the many outstanding activities and outreach programs that benefitted the local community. In 1996 , Berit became a citizen of the USA, something of which she was very proud. Besides being a housewife and mother, Berit also enjoyed volunteering her time at the Gulf Breeze Hospital for several years. She loved serving and took pride in helping the less fortunate; she contributed to innumerable organizations. That was her way of helping without being there personally and physically. Her hobbies included cooking, baking , handcrafts, being active in the Pensacola Christian Women's Club, the Busy Hands Club in Gulf Breeze, and the Gulf Breeze Hospital Auxiliary. She loved traveling, meeting and learning about other people and their culture. While raising her family she was able to travel to many of the European countries. She was also able to travel to the Far East, visiting, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea and Singapore. Berit participated in a mission trip to Central America (Nicaragua) through her church, and loved serving and helping the people she met there. But her biggest achievement and source of pride, was her family, raising her children, and becoming a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren deeply. She was preceded in death by her father, Ragnvald Bjelland, her mother, Dagny Christensen Bjelland, her husband Ian-Conrad Bergan, her brothers Christian, Frithjof, Sverre (and their respective wives) and Jan Peter Bjelland. She is survived by her children – son Christian (and wife Anne), daughter Marianne, son Knut Richard (and wife Anne), daughter Vibeke (and husband Jan Einar), grandchildren - Christopher (and wife Heather), Heather (and husband Bradley), Charlotte, Thomas, Caroline, Hans, Daniel, Ian, Mathias, Tobias , and 4 great grandchildren – Willow, Addie, Brayden and Kaj, multiple nieces, nephews and a sister-in-law. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, March 15th, 2016, at the Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church, 100 Andrew Jackson Trail, Gulf Breeze, FL. A visitation with the family will begin one hour prior to the service. Internment will take place at Rose Lawn Cemetery, 2942 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL following the Memorial Service. Rose Lawn Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Visitation

Visitation

Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church
100 Andrew Jackson Trail
Gulf Breeze, FL  32561
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
10:00 AM

Service

Funeral Service

Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church
100 Andrew Jackson Trail
Gulf Breeze, FL  32561
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
11:00 AM

Cemetery

Interment

Rose Lawn Cemetery
2942 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL  32563