John V. B. BRESSIE

Age 76, passed away at his home in Santa Rosa on November 20, 2013. He was born in Berkeley on February 13, 1937, the son of Vernon and Elizabeth (Källström) Bressie. John is survived by his wife, Jeannine; son, Sean (Emily) Bressie, daughter, Mackensie Ashton, son, Thomas Binkley, daughter Michelle Haviland; granddaughters, Samantha Haviland and Allison Burleson; his first wife, Elizabeth Montgomery; brother, Elbert (Leslie) Bressie; and sister, Mary Anne Kursa. John attended Analy High school in Sebastopol, graduating in 1954. His lifelong love of photography began as a teenager and continued in high school as a student at Analy. Following high school, John attended Santa Rosa Junior College and then the Art Center School of Design in Pasadena, CA where he perfected his photographic techniques. In 1957 after attending Art Center he and a fellow student Thaine Manske, of Texas, set off for a bicycle trip. The two traveled on their 3-speed Raleigh lightweight bicycles from San Francisco to New York City taking photographs and working in Yellowstone for travel funds along the way. Following John's return to Sonoma County, he and Ralph Henningsen traveled to Mexico to study writing at the Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato Mexico. Upon his return to the U.S., John produced commercial photographs in San Francisco for clients located in the city as well as Sonoma County. In 1962 John was an extra on Alfred Hitchcock's Movie, "The Birds", and captured several behind the scene shots while he was waiting on set. Christo's Fence - as it was displayed from Cotati to the Pacific ocean - was another photo opportunity John could not resist. Through the years, John documented other local artists such as Bernard Zakheim. He also photographed the Mission San Francisco de Asís for Sunset Magazine's book on California Missions in the 60s. In recent years he and his son traveled California to photograph all of the Missions. In the late 60s, John went into a three person ownership of a book, record and European imports store called "The Key" in Sebastopol on Petaluma Ave at Depot St. where you could find things like Dansk Scandinavian design-wares and Boda Crystal. Wherever John went, a well cared for camera went along. He didn't just capture moments on film, he captured the soul of the moment. His artist's eye was always present, ready to reach for the camera that would allow his own expression to shine. It was John's lens that transported us to a new view through his images. His tools of the trade were often his Hasselblad camera or "Sinar Standard" large format camera that he first acquired as a requirement to attend Art Center in 1955 and still used as recently as four months ago. He was always thinking of ways to express his vision of color, light, and abstraction. Everyday objects around him gave him ideas. A bowl of gumdrops or a pair of sandals became his muse. John's legacy is perhaps most pronounced with his achievement of inspiring thousands of students through his teaching of photography since the late 1970s first at Unruh's camera shop and later at Santa Rosa Junior College until this Fall semester of 2013. His courses included everything from beginning through advanced SLR camera, black and white photo lab, and his favorite, commercial portraiture and lighting. While he was a commercial photographer, some of his most beloved images are of his loved ones; the children, grandchildren, and others. His last photographic efforts were spent photographing a family member. It was his pleasure and he enjoyed the event in spite of his failing health. A memorial service and display of images from his 60 year body of work and life's passion will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at Daniels Chapel of the Roses, 1225 Sonoma Ave. Santa Rosa Daniels Chapel of the Roses 707-525-3730