Joan Elizabeth Berg-Bruestle

BERG-BRUESTLE, JOAN ELIZABETH Returning to 1985, Joan met Donald Bruestle in November. On June 11, 1988, Joan and Don were married. Joan never had children of her own. However, she was blessed with two wonderful stepchildren: Sarah and Benjamin. Both Sarah and Ben are intelligent and loving persons, but above all accepting of their dad ' s relationship and marriage to Joan. Joan has stated that the success of her relationship with Don was due in part to the respect and acceptance given to them by Sarah and Ben. Joan characterized her relationship with Sarah and Ben not as a maternal one, but rather as that of an older friend--like a coach or teacher. Joan and Don enjoyed the outdoors together. While living in Minnesota, they enjoyed the winter sport of cross-country skiing. In the warmer months, they traveled and did a lot of walking and hiking. Two of their most memorable trips were to the Grand Canyon. The first time they hiked in and out of the Havasupai Reservation, and the second time they white water rafted into the canyon and hiked out. Their travels included Alaska and most states west of the Mississippi River. Joan also enjoyed swimming, cooking, and reading and writing. Those many walks and hikes allowed Joan and Don the opportunity to talk, dream, and plan their future. They decided they wanted to change their jobs and live somewhere else. They wanted to continue in their careers, yet do something different. Their love of the southwest and the Latin culture initially took them to Tucson, Arizona. Appreciation of diverse cultures attracted Joan and Don to reside in urban, sometimes inner city, neighborhoods. After a brief stay in Tucson during 1998 and 1999, Joan and Don moved on to San Diego, Calif. in Feb. 2000. While in Tucson, Joan made the transition from hospital nursing to school nursing. It was just what she needed to rejuvenate her nursing career. Upon arriving in San Diego, Joan went to work as a School Nurse for San Diego City Schools. She was kept very busy in a middle school with a thousand seventh and eight graders. Joan worked with a diverse population of students--and not just ethnically diverse. The enrollment included 20% special education students, integrated life skills students with an IQ range of 50-70, deaf and hard of hearing students, students with mild psychiatric disorders, and physically disabled and medically fragile students. It was both challenging and rewarding. Following the move to San Diego, Joan and Don quickly became involved with their Unitarian Universalist Church Community. They served on the planning committee for the Dynamic Duos -- a couples social group. They also volunteered one Saturday per month to go to the Esperanza Project across the border in Tijuana, Baja, Mexico. They worked in the Colonia de Esperanza helping to build the local elementary school. Joan was learning tile setting, while Don was doing a variety of grounds keeping and maintenance tasks. Joan and Don were just settling into their jobs and volunteer work, as well as beginning to explore other service projects, when they received the news of Joan ' s cancer diagnosis. Their world and their plans changed, crumbled. Joan ' s illness and health care needs virtually consumed them. Fighting her cancer became all encompassing. Joan endured tremendous physical pain - her fight was courageous. Unfortunately, it was a battle she could not win. Joan lost her battle with cancer on February 14, 2003. Joan was preceded in death by her father, Anthony Henry Berg; brother-in-law, Robert Kieser and niece Kathryn Kieser. Survivors include husband Donald L. Bruestle of San Diego; children, Benjamin W. Bruestle and wife Holly, and Sarah R. Bruestle of Colorado; mother, Ora A. Berg; sister, Anne Kieser; brother Donald and wife Nancy Berg, all of Minnesota; and brother William and wife Orla Berg of New Mexico. Also several nieces and nephews and greatnieces and nephews. Also survived by special friend Kokomo. A Memorial service will be at 4:45 p.m., Friday, February 28, 2003, at First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego. An additional memorial service will be held at the Pax Christi Catholic Community Church, Eden Prairie, Minn. on March 6, 2003 at 3 p.m. All memorials may be sent to either the Carmelite Monastery, 5158 Hawley Boulevard, San Diego, Ca 92116; or, First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, c/o Care Giving Committee, 4190 Front St, SD, Ca 92103.