Stanley George Bergesen
Oct. 29, 1935 – Aug. 22, 2022

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — Stanley George Bergesen passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 22, 2022, in Lake County, California. He was 86 years old.

Stanley was born in 1935 in San Francisco, California, to Gus and Esther Bergesen. He grew up in Millbrae, California, and graduated from Capuchino High School in 1954.

While in high school he excelled in art, sports and played lead trumpet in the school band. In 1953, Stanley was in the California Youth Symphony in San Francisco.

He was on the track team and was in the North Coast Finals in broad jump. He had a passion for board bike riding and qualified for the National Junior Division Board Track race where he placed fifth in the nation.

At the end of January 1955 Stanley enlisted in the Army and served in the Korean War in the artillery division and was stationed in Japan and Korea and returned to the United States in 1957.

He married and started a family a few years later. He worked for the family business Bergesen Electric as an electrical contractor.

Stanley graduated from San Jose State University in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in interior design. He became a general contractor and architect and owned Bergesen Design.

His designs were one of a kind and Better Homes and Gardens featured his house he designed and built in the Santa Cruz Mountains in their magazine. He loved art and designed his first home in the seventh grade.

He was working at Stanford University Linear Accelerator (government lab) as a facilities engineer and retired after 15 years.

In 1991, he bought a corner lot on Bergesen Drive in Kelseyville, California. His uncles once owned the hillside and he was excited to live on a street named after his family.

He built his home on the weekends, holidays and vacation time while working for Stanford.

Stanley became a permanent resident of Lake County, where he designed 30 homes and built several of the homes he designed.

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Jo Bergesen; daughters, Sheri Wilson and Shawn Vandenbrandhorninge (husband Stef); sons, Scott Bergesen (wife Maile), Brit Bergesen (wife Veronica); stepsons, Charles Eads (wife Julia) and Neil Eads (wife Breanna); 14 grandchildren; his sister, Karen Miller of Santa Fe, New Mexico; and his brother, Richard Bergesen of Tucson, Arizona.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, Oct. 8, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Grace Church, 6716 Live Oak Drive, Kelseyville. The service will be located in the auditorium to the left of the front of the church. The reception will follow; please bring a side dish to share.

Please RSVP to Sheri Wilson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..