Kerstin Eriksson Congleton

Kerstin Maria Eriksson was born July 19, 1939, in Vasteras, a city on the shores of Lake Malaren, in the county of Vastmanland, Sweden. Her father was a tailor and her mother was a housewife. There was not much money in their house, but Kerstin had a rich childhood, growing up in this beautiful place, along with her sister, Monica, and her brother, Torsten.
Kerstin had a wonderful imagination. When they weren't in school, she and the other children would enjoy playing in the woods and on the lake. They would dress up and play small acts, or draw and paint, or just read. Kerstin loved to read, especially fiction and poetry. Her favorite stories, she would read several times, and share them with her friends.
Kerstin was also a gifted artist. She enjoyed drawing, and she could capture shapes and gestures with confidence. She liked to draw one's attention to an object and discuss it's colors, it's proportions, and it's perspective to other objects. When she was 17, and having graduated from Fryxellska Skolan, she went to work for the giant Swedish engineering and construction company, ASEA. Her job there was to make technical drawings.
In the summer of 1963, a small group of American engineering students arrived in Vasteras to learn about Swedish business techniques. Kerstin's english was good, so she was encouraged to sit with them in the cafeteria. And that's how she met Bill Congleton, with whom she fell in love. Not long after, she left Sweden for a new life in America.
William finished his business degree, and immediately went to work in the nascent computer industry. The young couple had two children, Ingrid Ann and William Jarl. They moved to Tarzana, California, in 1972.
Married to a successful businessman, Kerstin was able to create a beautiful home for her family. She filled her house with elegant furniture and exquisite artwork. She was a friend to artists everywhere she went, always willing to make room for pieces she appreciated. Her garden featured a wide variety of flowering trees and vines, and a delightful rose garden. Sometimes, she and Bill would host large parties for friends and neighbors.
Kerstin shared her Swedish traditions with her American family and friends. She was a great cook, and she would go to Olson's Scandinavian Delicatessin to buy the special treats she required for the Christmas smorgasbord. Sometimes she set up a maypole for Midsommar, and she would wear her traditional Swedish folk dress.
The family would gather each year at the home of Bill's sister, Ann, her husband Frank, and their children, Edie and Esther. This would be a time to enjoy good food, good company, and long nights playing bridge.
Kerstin and Bill were very active members of St James Presbyterian Church, volunteering as much as possible for the church's mission projects. They both loved music, and were in the chancel choir and the bell choir. They would remain members of this community for the rest of their lives.
Kerstin worked for Berlitz, translating product literature for the Swedish market. Also, she used her graphic arts skills to produce programs for church events and also for the San Fernando Valley Male Chorus concerts. Another thing Kerstin enjoyed was to make flower arrangements.
In 1988, Kerstin and Bill suffered a profound tragedy, when their daughter, Ingrid, died unexpectedly from a rare heart condition, at the age of 24. A tremendous outpouring of support from their many friends in the community helped them recover from this.
Towards his later years, Bill developed glaucoma, eventually losing his eyesight. Kerstin became increasingly supportive, first by helping him to continue his career. When that was no longer practical, she ensured that he could still participate in his beloved Men's Chorus, by helping him learn his parts even though he couldn't read the sheet music.
Bill passed away in 2023. In 2024, Kerstin moved to Bradley House, a beautiful old folks' home in Brattleboro, Vermont, where she could be close to her son and granddaughters. It was there that Kerstin Maria Eriksson Congleton passed away, on February 9, 2025. In addition to her family in Brattleboro, Kerstin is survived by her grandson, her sister, and several nieces and nephews.