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1935 - 2024

BORN

1935

DIED

2024

Lee Bergthold Obituary

Name: Celebration of Life for Lee Bergthold
Start: 2024-03-09T20:00:00.000Z
End: 2024-03-09T23:00:00.000Z
Location: AV College campus

Lee Bergthold March 5 1935 January 10, 2024 Palmdale - Lee Bergthold, peacefully passed away on January 10, 2024 at his daughter's home in Clovis CA. He was surrounded by family; he was 88. Lee retired from AV College where he taught photography and led photo/survival field trips for 37 years. Lee was proud of his service as a US Marine Corps Korea combat veteran. A full honor burial will take place at the Bakersfield National Cemetery, date TBD. As an author Lee wrote and published four books. Some of his videos, photos and stories are in a "Lee Bergthold" Facebook page. Lee is survived by his daughter Paula and three granddaughters; he was preceded in death by his son, Wesley. A celebration is set for Saturday, March 9, Noon to 3 p.m., on the AV College campus. As with any annual Lee Birthday gathering, it will be a pot luck.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Antelope Valley Press on Feb. 23, 2024.

Memories and Condolences
for Lee Bergthold

20 Entries

Liz & Mike McGarr

July 28, 2025

Just found out that Lee had passed. We both were in Lee's photography class for several years and went on several photo trips. We learned not only how to take pictures, but also about nature and survival skills. He was a fascinating person and we enjoyed every minute with him. He even used one of our personal videos in one of his movies. He had a wonderful spirit and we were honored to know him.

Roland E. Sprague

December 17, 2024

One last big hike, Lee RIP

Elissamarie Garcia

December 13, 2024

My heart broke in two when I heard Mr. Lee had passed away. Mr. Lee was a beyond wonderful teacher and friend. My heart truly goes out to his family. Gone but will never be forgotten.

Sincerely,
Elissamarie.

Christine Jackson

October 13, 2024

Rip Lee. You were a source of great knowledge and wonderful company. Thank you for teaching me and letting me join your explorations even though I was no longer in your class.

Nancy David

April 23, 2024

I enjoyed taking a b/w photography class with Lee. We developed and enlarged prints and I learned so much. Lee was a great teacher.

Kathleen Drake

March 29, 2024

Thank you for all of the wonderful memories.

Kathleen Drake Student, Friend

Kathleen Drake

March 29, 2024

Lee, CWS (Center for Wilderness Studies) members, students, friends, and family:

You can take the man out of the marines, but you can never take the marines out of the man. (A Good Earth Tea Bag quotation.)

I collected and handed these out on Lee Trips.

Be still like a mountain and flow like a river. Tao Tse Tung

In a world of constant change and streaming technology, I find solace in the forest, where a tree remains a tree. Angie Weiland- Crosby

GOD CREATES THE BEAUTY. My camera and I are witness.- Mark Denman

There is a pleasure in the pathless wood,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar,
I love not man the less, but Nature More.
F. Scott Fitsgerald

Lee worked with his family harvesting crops and deep sea fishing.
Lee is a marine who forever remembered the Forgotten War and its soldiers -Korea.
Lee served as a life guard for Port Hueneme.
Lee taught as a professor at AVC for 39+ years. Photo, journalism, photo field trips, and survival backpack seminars/trips, etc.
Performed in plays like Of Mice and Men-John Steinbeck (Lee liked to resight lines from.)
He married more than once, had children, and grand children on Sat March 9, 2024.

Thank you Paula, Judy, Jeff and Linda, and grand children for letting us meet and get to know you a bit.

Lee made time for all of us. He kept doing things. He kept living and learning. What a lesson of a life well-lived.

Thank you,
Kathleen Drake (student, friend)
P.S. You are a lifelong friend, mentor, and confidant to me and to many. I and we will meet you again. You are a dear son, brother, uncle, husband, father, and grandfather. You are saved in Jesus Christ. This short life is just a a grain of sand in the hour glass.

As C.S Lewis in the Chronicles of Narnia The Last Battle and book said, "Now at last they were beginning chapter one of the great story, no one on earth had ever read, which goes on forever, in which every chapter is better than the one before."

I see you Lee talking about the Native American End of the Trail sculptor by James Earle Fraser 1st made in 1894. An 18ft version sits in Mooney Grove Park in Visalia, CA. (I hope to visit it before I die.) The dressed and painted Indian warrior on top his bent over horse with spear and head with two braids hunched over. The Indian and horse are leaning over each other ready to collapse at the end of the trail. They both worked hard, earned, and deserve the final rest.

Amy Kariger

March 13, 2024

Sorry to hear of Lee's passing. I just found out. he was my instructor at AVC many years ago for film photography, He always had the best photos and stories of his hiking and backpacking, he was a good man. I will have to visit him as he is in the same cemetery my son buried at. Sorry for the loss to his family

Paula Rice

March 11, 2024

Thank you to all who came an shared memories!!!! I will miss my dad forever but he is forever in my heart!! I love you my dad.
special thank you to Chris Spicher!! what a great friend!!!

Mayra

March 9, 2024

Where at AVC will Lee´s celebration of life be?

Dee Hunter

March 9, 2024

Lee was one of my favorite people. He was my photography professor at AVC many years ago and his passion for photography made it wonderful to be his student. Some how I thought Lee would live forever and in my minds eye I will always picture him backpacking in the wilderness of the Sierras which he loved. The world has lost a truly amazing person.

Marilyn Dalrymple

March 9, 2024

I took many of his classes and attended field trips he led. Because of his influence I enjoyed photography for many years. I'm grateful to have known him.

Karen Eilson

Planted Trees

Jennifer Petty

February 29, 2024

I first met Lee back in the early 90s when he was putting on a slideshow of one of his trips. Then my daughter and I had the honor of having him as a professor several times at the college. We also took several hiking camping trips with him and really enjoyed it. Our family will miss him very much and condolences to his family.

Karen Wilson

February 29, 2024

Lee was a great teacher,I and three of my children benefitted from his instruction. We will all miss him he was a dear friend

David Moore

February 27, 2024

Lee taught my youngest daughter at AVC where she completed her Photography degree. A year later I began my adventure at AVC. Taking photography (old school film) with Lee was my stress relief class. I learned so very much about film photography. My daughter completed her Bachelor in Criminal Justice at UAV. She in now a KCDD in Bakersfield. He was her mentor and motivational teacher while attending AVC.

Brenda Avadian

February 22, 2024

Lee Bergthold had a kind of magnetic energy. Those fortunate to be drawn into this Marine's gentle force were treated to a man passionately living and exploring untouched wilderness. He did his own thing. And what he did was interesting to enough of us, that he had a tribe.

On the 9th of March we have the opportunity to gather for a final potluck in Celebration of Lee's Life at the Antelope Valley College... he made it just short of his 89th birthday.

I am thankful to have known him for nearly 35 years.

The 2022 photo was the last one I took of Lee (with his permission) while he and I sat outside warming ourselves in the sun after he enjoyed a plate of homemade tamales I had made for Thanksgiving.

Larry Bolster

February 20, 2024

Still on the trail. My minds eye will forever be placed in some remote locations watching a legend enjoying life. I will always be grateful to of had the opportunity knowing Lee.