Joanne Beyer Bergquist was born in Norristown, PA on July 26, 1948 to parents Abner and Martha Beyer and passed to be with the Lord on October 3, 2023.
Joanne enjoyed all parts of her academic career, but her love and focus was on science. In 1966, she graduated from A.D. Eisenhower High School, Norristown, PA. She chose to continue her lifelong love of learning and attended Thomas Jefferson University, graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology in 1973 and her Master of Science in Microbiology in 1975. She was a microbiologist certified through the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and the American Society for Microbiology.
Joanne worked in several hospitals during her career in microbiology including Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. She was the supervisor of the special pathogens section of the TJUH clinical microbiology laboratory. One of her proudest career accomplishments was establishing the first clinical virology section in a medical school hospital microbiology laboratory in Philadelphia. She was active in the Eastern Pennsylvania Branch of the American Society for Microbiology. She continued her microbiology career through the years and expanded her role to include serving as the President of the Pennsylvania Medical Society Alliance in 1999-2000 and was actively involved with the Alliance for many years. Joanne was very supportive of physicians politically and was the first non-physician to receive the R. William Alexander award of the Pennsylvania Medical Society for political activities supporting physicians. She was active in the Latrobe Area Hospital Aide Society and its committees and served a year as President.
Joanne met her husband, Erick, in 1972, through a shared love of science and learning. They married on October 22, 1975 in Norristown, PA. In 1987, they made the decision to move to Latrobe, PA, following her husband’s career where they made their home with their children until 2020, moving to Indiana, PA. She found her spiritual home with the Latrobe Presbyterian Church where she served as a deacon and an elder for many years. She enjoyed gardening, decorating cakes, and spoiling all of her family dogs. Anyone who entered her kitchen understood her love of cooking and baking and if you had time to listen, she would tell you stories of her competitive cake decorating.
Joanne didn’t only love science, she also loved traveling the country with her family. Some of her fondest memories are from the times when she took her daughter Kristen and her son Erick in the motorhome and explored the country from the mountains to the beaches, with beaches being the place where she felt most at peace.
Joanne was preceded in death by her parents Abner and Martha Beyer and her twin sister Jean Marie who died shortly after birth. She is survived by her husband Erick; her daughter Kristen Bergquist and fiancé James McCready; her son Erick Bergquist Jr., wife Brianna Mitchell and grandson Jack Piccola; her sister Margaret Beyer Shafer and husband Roger; nephew Charles Shafer; nephew Jonathan Shafer, wife Christina and their children Corie and Joshua.
The family would like to extend a very special thanks to Jessica Stutzman who was not only a caregiver to Joanne, but a dear friend.
Friends will be received on Friday from 6 – 8 PM as well as on Saturday from 10 AM until noon, the time of the service, at the Bowser-Minich Funeral Home, 500 Ben Franklin Road South, Indiana, PA. The Rev. Arlene Schweitzer will officiate. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Action for Animals 386 PA Route 217, Latrobe, PA 15650.
To express an online condolence to the family, please visit www.bowserminich.com.
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