Patricia Mae (Bohm) Bergren: Class of 1955
With profound sorrow we announce the passing of Patricia Mae (Bohm) Bergren on Sunday, March 14, 2021, in Pound Ridge, New York. She was 88 years old.
Beloved mother of son Erik Bergren; daughters Elizabeth B. Bergren and Kristin (Bergren) Templin and son-in-law Roger Templin. Sister-in-law Glory Ann Kurtz and nieces Wendy, Patty, Lindi, and Angie of Spokane, WA; and nephews Steve Schroeder and Chuck Dickinson. Patricia was predeceased by her husband Gaylan Charles Bergren and sister Elizabeth (Bohm) Schroeder.
Patricia (“Patty”) was born to Martin and Edna Bohm on July 3, 1932, in Neillsville, Wisconsin. Growing up in Portage, Wisconsin, she and her sister assisted their parents with their family-owned grocery store, Bohm Fresh Foods.
A 1950 graduate of Portage High School, Patricia was former “Miss Portage” during the centennial celebration and “Miss Wisconsin” runner-up in 1953.
She attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, where she studied music and played violin in the St. Olaf Orchestra. She transferred to University of Wisconsin-Madison her senior year and graduated in 1955 with a B.A. in Art Education.
After graduation, she moved to Chicago and taught art for the Rockland County School District in Illinois. After teaching for several years, she became spokesperson and expert home economist for the National Livestock and Meat Board of Chicago. Traveling to local and national broadcast TV stations she demonstrated menu and food preparation on the air. Her job also involved giving cooking demonstrations at many high schools, universities and cooking schools around the country.
Patricia moved to New York City, in 1960 where she was Sr. V.P. at the global public relations and advertising firm, Burson-Marsteller. Later she helped establish and operate Phillips Communications, headquartered in Manhattan. Over the next 15 years she worked on many national campaigns including Pet Carnation Milk, California Artichokes, Brussel Sprouts Growers Association, and Domino Liquid Brown Sugar.
A Pound Ridge, NY resident for over 48 years, Patricia served as President of the Pound Ridge Republican Club, was a long-time patron of the Pound Ridge Library and a member of both Pound Ridge Community Church and St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in New Canaan, CT.
Patricia was an avid equestrian, and along with her family, owned and raised many horses over the years. She was a member of N.J. Essex and Spring Valley Hunt Clubs, and was Co-Founder and President of the Running Fox Pony Club of Bedford and Pound Ridge, NY.
After retiring from public relations in the mid-80s, Patricia enjoyed a distinguished career as a journalist writing columns and feature articles for the Patent Trader (The Record Review), Spotlight Magazine (now Westchester Magazine) and many special-interest publications. Patricia loved teaching art classes to children of all ages, and she continued to substitute teach art at Katonah-Lewisboro (John Jay), Stamford (Rippowam Cisqua) School Districts, and New Canaan (CT) Middle School.
Services to honor Patricia’s life in Pound Ridge will be private. She will remain always in our hearts and may she Rest In Peace.
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