Hersch Judka Bergeisen

Hersch ”John” Bergeisen passed away on October 1 in Oceanside, California at the age of 88 after a 6-month battle against acute leukemia. He is survived by his two sons, a daughter-in-law, and his ex-wife. His many friends and family will miss his kindness, compassion, love for life, positive outlook, and wisdom.

Born in 1922 in Radom, Poland, to orthodox Jewish parents, John lived a remarkable and inspirational life. He married his ex-wife, Mina, in 1943, and shortly thereafter they were taken to concentration camps. A man proud of his Jewish faith, John survived the Nazi Holocaust and walked out of Auschwitz and Buchenwald in 1945 through the grace of God and John’s indomitable will to live. His mother, father, and one brother perished in the camps; he forever cherished and honored their memories. Only his older brother Leon survived the war and immigrated to the United States.

After the war, John, Mina and baby Gershon moved to Aruba in 1948 to start a new life. He worked in a department store as a salesman, and through his initiative and the force of his personality he became the general manager of that store after two short years. Because his brother and his wife’s families had moved to the United States, he developed strong ties to the USA, and in 1955 Michael was born in New York. In 1964, the Bergeisen family immigrated to the United States to develop a better life and to be closer to John and Mina’s relatives. Fueled by a strong work ethic and an intense desire to succeed, John applied himself with intelligence, dedication, humor, and his striking ability to connect with everyone he met. He became a successful small businessman owning various stores, and was loved by his customers and colleagues.

In the 1980’s, John retired, he and Mina divorced, and he moved to Oceanside. Everywhere he went, and especially in his synagogue and his health club, John was a source of perpetual joy, greeting everyone with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. He was forever doing kind deeds for his friends, in Oceanside and around the world, and they, too, gave John incredible love and support. John also spent many hours speaking to local students as a witness to the Holocaust, so that we should never forget and never allow such atrocities to happen again. Those students who heard John’s powerful talks were always moved.

John was a unique and great man, and will be missed by all he touched. He is survived by his sons Gershon and Michael Bergeisen, and his daughter-in-law Laurie Stoneham, who loved him deeply and m

iss him very much.