Ann Bernhardt

1941 - 2025

Ann Bernhardt

August 8, 1941 - August 15, 2025

San Luis Obispo, California - Ann (Schoonover) Bernhardt was born in Amityville Long Island August 8, 1941. Her parents moved to Michigan when she was a child, and she attended the University of Michigan campus school through Junior High. Her family then moved to San Diego where she graduated from Crawford High School. After spending a year in Europe working as a civilian employee of the US Army, she returned to San Diego where she lived at home and worked her way through San Diego State College. One of her professors took an interest in her and helped her to receive a fellowship in Speech and Hearing at Stanford University. She completed her coursework ahead of schedule and received her Master's degree in 1965.

She worked at various rehab agencies in the Bay Area and eventually landed at Letterman Army Medical Center where she was a clinical speech pathologist. It was there that she met Dave Bernhardt, an Internal Medicine resident. They were married in 1971. Prior to her marriage she had been one of the first to obtain a building permit to build a boat in the newly created houseboat district in Sausalito Harbor.

The couple left San Francisco in 1973 and spent two years at Fort Knox Kentucky before moving to San Luis Obispo in 1975. Between 1971 and 1976 she gave birth to three children, Rebecca, Lucas and Eddie.

She loved being a mother and was able to have a career as a learning disability specialist in the Disabled Student Services at Cuesta College. She also became an accomplished artist both as a painter and sculptor. She served on the Boards of Achievement House, the Mozart Festival and the Cuesta Foundation as well. She was active in the Unitarian Universalist church for many years.

Alzheimer's Disease robbed her of her abilities at the end of her time, but she had a life full of accomplishments where she was able to exhibit her talent, charm and determination in the service of others.

She is survived by her husband, three children and six grandchildren.

A memorial service in her honor will be held at Unitarian Universalist San Luis Obispo at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 11, 2025.