Jane Bernhardt
Alton |
Jane Loriel Mercer Johnson Bernhardt (born 22 April 1942) of Clayton, Missouri, left this life on the morning of Easter Sunday. Born in Alton, Illinois, to long-time Superintendent of Alton Public Schools, Dr. James Burris Johnson, and Anneka Theen Johnson, Jane attended Alton High, Stephens College and Washington University in St. Louis where she enjoyed being a Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sister. She worked for the St. Louis City Bookmobile and at Olin Library at WashU. The highlight of her life was her marriage to Roger Paul Bernhardt (JD, Harvard), a St. Louis attorney still in practice, and the creation of their family. She loved her family, her home, buying gifts for others, being room-mother for her children, the idea of childhood, celebrating Christmas, going antique shopping, collecting things, travelling to Hawaii and Italy, partying, butterflies, the number 43, making things like art, and reminiscing about her childhood friends in Alton and her family’s businesses: ABC Bakery in Alton and the family farm in Centralia, IL. She loved America and was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and five other historical organizations. Jane is survived by Roger and their three children: Dr. Elizabeth Louise Bernhardt, Katherine Wallis Bernhardt and Andrew Gaston Bernhardt, all of St. Louis; two wonderful international grandchildren: Daphne and Khalifa; and sister Carol Anneka Johnson Boulris of Chappaqua, NY, and her children: Mark Boulris of Miami, Dr. Craig Boulris of San Francisco and Lori Boulris Townsend of Chappaqua and their large families across the country; son-in-law Paolo Martino and family in Italy; cousin Klaus Rittmann in Germany; and two Theen cousins. Gent Funeral Home in Alton is handling her funeral arrangements. Donations in her memory may be made to the Osage Nation Foundation. Online guestbook and information may be found at www.gentfuneralhome.com.
Gent Funeral Home
