Jo Ann Amorde Berg passed peacefully, in Everett, Washington, on December 30, 2017, just days shy of her 91st birthday.
Born in Superior, Wisconsin to Archie and Jennie Amorde on January 4, 1927, Jo Ann was raised and attended school, in Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota; often living with relatives or friends while her parents worked in lumber camps in remote regions of the Great Lakes.
Upon completion of two years of liberal arts at Superior State College, plus special teacher training, Jo Ann followed her parents to Sutherlin, Oregon. There she served in the Sutherlin school system on an emergency contract as instructor of physical education, music, and science.
At the behest of her aunt, Wally Amorde, JoAnn entered the newly formed Miss Roseburg Pageant in the spring of 1947. She won the title, singing "In My Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown". Jo Ann was crowned the first Miss Oregon on July 27, 1947, on the beach at Seaside, Oregon. That August she traveled to Atlantic City, NJ, where she competed for the title of Miss America, placing in the top 10.
Returning home with scholarship winnings, Jo Ann enrolled in the University of Oregon. There she met Reedy Berg, a letter-man in basketball for the Oregon Ducks. They married May 6, 1950, in Portland, Oregon, making their home in the city. Jo Ann worked as a fashion coordinator for Meier and Frank, often travelling to New York City on buying trips, and directing fashion and bridal shows in the Portland area.
In 1956, Mr. and Mrs. Berg relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area for business opportunities, returning to Medford, Oregon, in June of 1961. There, Jo Ann founded the Miss Rogue Valley Pageant, crowning Martha "Marty" Wyatt as the first winner in 1962. Marty went on to win the Miss Oregon title, and place in the top 10 at the Miss America pageant.
With such a successful beginning to her production career, Jo Ann was soon named a Field Director for the Miss America Pageant, overseeing the development of pageants in the Southern Oregon Region. She served in that capacity until she finally eased her involvement during the early 2000s, taking a break for the short time the Berg family lived in Boise, Idaho in the mid-1970s. Mrs. Berg was also certified as a Miss America Organization Judge, and had the opportunity to judge many state and local pageants. She was recognized for her decades of work in 1994, when she was named the Miss America Volunteer of the Year.
During her life, Mrs. Berg sought to create opportunities for young Oregon women via education, communication and community service. She raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship funds for young Oregon women through the Miss Oregon Pageant system, and the PEO of Douglas County. She always recognized the many doors that opened for her when she became Miss Oregon, affording her the chance to continue her education and broaden her horizons. Her life's work was to make sure that young women continued to have opportunities and avenues to pursue their personal growth and career ambitions.
Mrs. Berg is preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Reedy Berg (1923-1986); and is survived by her five children, JuliAnn Blam (Marc), Patricia Arthur (Albert), Reedy Berg (Katherine), Leslie Berg, Ryan Berg; her six grandchildren, Alexandra Juras, Riley Arthur Hasselfeld (David), Elliot Arthur, Reedy Berg (Nicole), Gunnar Berg (Taylor), Jillian Berg; and her great-grandson, Tanner Traicoff.
The family has already held a private graveside service at Roseburg Memorial Gardens.
(Obit published in the Roseburg, OR "The News-Review" on Jan. 17, 2018.)
Born in Superior, Wisconsin to Archie and Jennie Amorde on January 4, 1927, Jo Ann was raised and attended school, in Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota; often living with relatives or friends while her parents worked in lumber camps in remote regions of the Great Lakes.
Upon completion of two years of liberal arts at Superior State College, plus special teacher training, Jo Ann followed her parents to Sutherlin, Oregon. There she served in the Sutherlin school system on an emergency contract as instructor of physical education, music, and science.
At the behest of her aunt, Wally Amorde, JoAnn entered the newly formed Miss Roseburg Pageant in the spring of 1947. She won the title, singing "In My Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown". Jo Ann was crowned the first Miss Oregon on July 27, 1947, on the beach at Seaside, Oregon. That August she traveled to Atlantic City, NJ, where she competed for the title of Miss America, placing in the top 10.
Returning home with scholarship winnings, Jo Ann enrolled in the University of Oregon. There she met Reedy Berg, a letter-man in basketball for the Oregon Ducks. They married May 6, 1950, in Portland, Oregon, making their home in the city. Jo Ann worked as a fashion coordinator for Meier and Frank, often travelling to New York City on buying trips, and directing fashion and bridal shows in the Portland area.
In 1956, Mr. and Mrs. Berg relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area for business opportunities, returning to Medford, Oregon, in June of 1961. There, Jo Ann founded the Miss Rogue Valley Pageant, crowning Martha "Marty" Wyatt as the first winner in 1962. Marty went on to win the Miss Oregon title, and place in the top 10 at the Miss America pageant.
With such a successful beginning to her production career, Jo Ann was soon named a Field Director for the Miss America Pageant, overseeing the development of pageants in the Southern Oregon Region. She served in that capacity until she finally eased her involvement during the early 2000s, taking a break for the short time the Berg family lived in Boise, Idaho in the mid-1970s. Mrs. Berg was also certified as a Miss America Organization Judge, and had the opportunity to judge many state and local pageants. She was recognized for her decades of work in 1994, when she was named the Miss America Volunteer of the Year.
During her life, Mrs. Berg sought to create opportunities for young Oregon women via education, communication and community service. She raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship funds for young Oregon women through the Miss Oregon Pageant system, and the PEO of Douglas County. She always recognized the many doors that opened for her when she became Miss Oregon, affording her the chance to continue her education and broaden her horizons. Her life's work was to make sure that young women continued to have opportunities and avenues to pursue their personal growth and career ambitions.
Mrs. Berg is preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Reedy Berg (1923-1986); and is survived by her five children, JuliAnn Blam (Marc), Patricia Arthur (Albert), Reedy Berg (Katherine), Leslie Berg, Ryan Berg; her six grandchildren, Alexandra Juras, Riley Arthur Hasselfeld (David), Elliot Arthur, Reedy Berg (Nicole), Gunnar Berg (Taylor), Jillian Berg; and her great-grandson, Tanner Traicoff.
The family has already held a private graveside service at Roseburg Memorial Gardens.
(Obit published in the Roseburg, OR "The News-Review" on Jan. 17, 2018.)
Jo Ann Amorde Berg passed peacefully, in Everett, Washington, on December 30, 2017, just days shy of her 91st birthday.
Born in Superior, Wisconsin to Archie and Jennie Amorde on January 4, 1927, Jo Ann was raised and attended school, in Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota; often living with relatives or friends while her parents worked in lumber camps in remote regions of the Great Lakes.
Upon completion of two years of liberal arts at Superior State College, plus special teacher training, Jo Ann followed her parents to Sutherlin, Oregon. There she served in the Sutherlin school system on an emergency contract as instructor of physical education, music, and science.
At the behest of her aunt, Wally Amorde, JoAnn entered the newly formed Miss Roseburg Pageant in the spring of 1947. She won the title, singing "In My Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown". Jo Ann was crowned the first Miss Oregon on July 27, 1947, on the beach at Seaside, Oregon. That August she traveled to Atlantic City, NJ, where she competed for the title of Miss America, placing in the top 10.
Returning home with scholarship winnings, Jo Ann enrolled in the University of Oregon. There she met Reedy Berg, a letter-man in basketball for the Oregon Ducks. They married May 6, 1950, in Portland, Oregon, making their home in the city. Jo Ann worked as a fashion coordinator for Meier and Frank, often travelling to New York City on buying trips, and directing fashion and bridal shows in the Portland area.
In 1956, Mr. and Mrs. Berg relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area for business opportunities, returning to Medford, Oregon, in June of 1961. There, Jo Ann founded the Miss Rogue Valley Pageant, crowning Martha "Marty" Wyatt as the first winner in 1962. Marty went on to win the Miss Oregon title, and place in the top 10 at the Miss America pageant.
With such a successful beginning to her production career, Jo Ann was soon named a Field Director for the Miss America Pageant, overseeing the development of pageants in the Southern Oregon Region. She served in that capacity until she finally eased her involvement during the early 2000s, taking a break for the short time the Berg family lived in Boise, Idaho in the mid-1970s. Mrs. Berg was also certified as a Miss America Organization Judge, and had the opportunity to judge many state and local pageants. She was recognized for her decades of work in 1994, when she was named the Miss America Volunteer of the Year.
During her life, Mrs. Berg sought to create opportunities for young Oregon women via education, communication and community service. She raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship funds for young Oregon women through the Miss Oregon Pageant system, and the PEO of Douglas County. She always recognized the many doors that opened for her when she became Miss Oregon, affording her the chance to continue her education and broaden her horizons. Her life's work was to make sure that young women continued to have opportunities and avenues to pursue their personal growth and career ambitions.
Mrs. Berg is preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Reedy Berg (1923-1986); and is survived by her five children, JuliAnn Blam (Marc), Patricia Arthur (Albert), Reedy Berg (Katherine), Leslie Berg, Ryan Berg; her six grandchildren, Alexandra Juras, Riley Arthur Hasselfeld (David), Elliot Arthur, Reedy Berg (Nicole), Gunnar Berg (Taylor), Jillian Berg; and her great-grandson, Tanner Traicoff.
The family has already held a private graveside service at Roseburg Memorial Gardens.
(Obit published in the Roseburg, OR "The News-Review" on Jan. 17, 2018.)
Born in Superior, Wisconsin to Archie and Jennie Amorde on January 4, 1927, Jo Ann was raised and attended school, in Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota; often living with relatives or friends while her parents worked in lumber camps in remote regions of the Great Lakes.
Upon completion of two years of liberal arts at Superior State College, plus special teacher training, Jo Ann followed her parents to Sutherlin, Oregon. There she served in the Sutherlin school system on an emergency contract as instructor of physical education, music, and science.
At the behest of her aunt, Wally Amorde, JoAnn entered the newly formed Miss Roseburg Pageant in the spring of 1947. She won the title, singing "In My Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown". Jo Ann was crowned the first Miss Oregon on July 27, 1947, on the beach at Seaside, Oregon. That August she traveled to Atlantic City, NJ, where she competed for the title of Miss America, placing in the top 10.
Returning home with scholarship winnings, Jo Ann enrolled in the University of Oregon. There she met Reedy Berg, a letter-man in basketball for the Oregon Ducks. They married May 6, 1950, in Portland, Oregon, making their home in the city. Jo Ann worked as a fashion coordinator for Meier and Frank, often travelling to New York City on buying trips, and directing fashion and bridal shows in the Portland area.
In 1956, Mr. and Mrs. Berg relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area for business opportunities, returning to Medford, Oregon, in June of 1961. There, Jo Ann founded the Miss Rogue Valley Pageant, crowning Martha "Marty" Wyatt as the first winner in 1962. Marty went on to win the Miss Oregon title, and place in the top 10 at the Miss America pageant.
With such a successful beginning to her production career, Jo Ann was soon named a Field Director for the Miss America Pageant, overseeing the development of pageants in the Southern Oregon Region. She served in that capacity until she finally eased her involvement during the early 2000s, taking a break for the short time the Berg family lived in Boise, Idaho in the mid-1970s. Mrs. Berg was also certified as a Miss America Organization Judge, and had the opportunity to judge many state and local pageants. She was recognized for her decades of work in 1994, when she was named the Miss America Volunteer of the Year.
During her life, Mrs. Berg sought to create opportunities for young Oregon women via education, communication and community service. She raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship funds for young Oregon women through the Miss Oregon Pageant system, and the PEO of Douglas County. She always recognized the many doors that opened for her when she became Miss Oregon, affording her the chance to continue her education and broaden her horizons. Her life's work was to make sure that young women continued to have opportunities and avenues to pursue their personal growth and career ambitions.
Mrs. Berg is preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Reedy Berg (1923-1986); and is survived by her five children, JuliAnn Blam (Marc), Patricia Arthur (Albert), Reedy Berg (Katherine), Leslie Berg, Ryan Berg; her six grandchildren, Alexandra Juras, Riley Arthur Hasselfeld (David), Elliot Arthur, Reedy Berg (Nicole), Gunnar Berg (Taylor), Jillian Berg; and her great-grandson, Tanner Traicoff.
The family has already held a private graveside service at Roseburg Memorial Gardens.
(Obit published in the Roseburg, OR "The News-Review" on Jan. 17, 2018.)
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