Doris Jean Bogardus

Doris Jean Merrick Bogardus, Jan, was born April 15, 1938 in Evansville, Indiana to Roy Arleigh Merrick and Estelle Clare Mitulski. Her older sister Marlene who was four years older became her best friend for life.

A few years later, the family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where they lived on Washburn Avenue until 1953. Unfortunately, Jan's father had rheumatic fever as a child and that damaged his heart. He died suddenly when Jan was just 7 years old. Throughout her life, she missed her father tremendously.

In 1950, five years after her father’s death, Rudolph Wanninger married her mother, Estelle. In 1953, they moved to Pasadena, California where she graduated in 1956.

In 1956, Jan married Charles Ira Palmer where they had two daughters, Pamela Sue Palmer and Cynthia Lynne Palmer. The marriage ended in divorce.

Years later, she married Ralph "Bo" Bogardus and they moved to Laguna Beach, California.

In 1968, Jan began taking guitar lessons. Her teacher told her she had a great voice, so she started taking singing lessons.

In her younger years, Jan loved to sew and knit. When her children were young, she made all their clothes. As she got older, she taught her children and grandchildren how to knit. She loved to pick out patterns and fabric. She also loved to decorate her home.

When it came to music, Jan began studying and performing at universities and colleges such as UCLA, UC Riverside, and Cal State Long Beach to name a few. In 1968, she was Maria in The Sound of Music and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel.

In 1974, Jan and her family moved to Newport Beach in order to be closer to her husband’s business. One of the things Jan and her husband enjoyed was sailing. In tandem with that came the buying, restoring, and selling of many yachts. Interspersed with these renovations, were hours of sailing whether it be an afternoon sail off the coast of California, a family sailing trip to Catalina Island, or participating in the annual Ensenada Race, she loved to sail.

As her singing career took off, she moved to Europe where she performed in numerous opera houses in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, she performed with the Seattle Opera, San Francisco Opera, Arizona Opera, Michigan Opera, New York City Opera, as well as Calgary, Canada, and Monterey, Mexico.

In 1995, Jan and her husband left the warmth of sunny Southern California to move to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to be closer to her daughter Cindy's family. She also loved the idea of being closer to her childhood home in Minneapolis not to mention her grandchildren.

After her husband Ralph "Bo" Bogardus died in 1999, she bought a little white poodle. She named him Pepe. She and Pepe enrolled in dog training classes and agility classes with Karen Rude at Rude Dog U in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She and Pepe traveled throughout the Midwest to compete. The dynamic duo won many agility competitions in the Upper Midwest. Her good friend Laurel got a “little white dog” too. Jan, Laurel, and their dogs enjoyed many walks throughout the neighborhood and moments of laughter together.

Jan loved to travel with family and friends. She went on numerous cruises on Holland America with her daughter Pam, her son-in-law David Farrer, and her daughter Cindy. One of her favorite trips was taking her daughters and grandchildren to Disney World, Turkey, and the Greek Isles. She also took her grandchildren to a dude ranch in Colorado where they rode horses and enjoyed the great outdoors. She also went on a Holland America cruise with her granddaughter Samantha. She also loved traveling with her good friend Mary. They traveled to Tanzania, Kenya, China, Egypt, and South America together.

It should also be mentioned that her daughter Pam and David moved from London to David’s native Scotland in 2002 where they continue to live. Pam (and sometimes with David) visited Jan often and Jan would sometimes visit them in London and Scotland. Pam’s sister Cindy visited with Jan on some of these trips. In between these visits Pam and her mother Jan would often talk on the phone.

In 2016, Jan left her home and friends in Eau Claire and moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, again to be closer to family, specifically her great grandchildren. While Jan loved her entire family, she had a very special bond with her first great grandson, Calvin Hereford. He always was willing to visit her and to hold her hand when walking became more difficult.

In 2016, Jan was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. For many years, she was still able to drive, take Pepe for walks, and live independently. As time passed, it became more difficult to do everyday things, so she got an apartment in independent living at Crystal Terrace.

When the pandemic hit and she was facing living in lockdown for months on end, she moved in with her daughter Cindy and son-in-law Don. This time ended up being an ideal time as her great grandchildren's daycare was closed so they were able to spend time with their beloved GG on a daily basis. Calvin and Sawyer loved bringing her special treats, especially strawberries, raspberries, and flowers from the garden. Jan enjoyed spending time with Cindy and Don partaking in neighborhood walks, great meals, and entertaining shows and football games.

As time went on Parkinson's took a heavier toll and Jan was no longer able to walk or stand independently, so she moved into Assisted Living at Crystal Terrace where she was cared for lovingly. Sometimes Jan forgot she couldn't walk and she would try to stand on her own, which led to many falls, two of which landed her in the ER. Despite being double vaccinated and double boosted, Jan contracted Covid, which greatly reduced her strength and stamina. After her last hospital visit, she returned to Crystal Terrace under Hospice Care.

One of her greatest joys was having her family together for Maya and Neil Schraffenberger's wedding. What a joy it was for her to see the family: Maya, Neil, Samantha, Manu, Antonio, Julian as well as her niece Jennifer Fox, her husband Jerry, daughter Jericha, and nephew Bill Carey and his lovely wife Helen, as well as the Klamath Falls family members, Danielle, Mark, Calvin, Sawyer, Cindy & Don. She loved seeing once again Don's side of the family, too. She was especially grateful to have Don's brother, Brad, perform the marriage ceremony. She was also pleased to be able to meet Neil's parents and extended family as well.

Before she passed, she was able to say goodbye to her family. Danielle was able to spend time with Jan prior to her passing, as she lives in Klamath Falls. Samantha and Maya called regularly from Colorado to express their love and support. Maya performed and recorded three songs for her, which Jan enjoyed tremendously. Her daughter Pam, also called regularly in the last weeks of Jan's life to extend her love and support. Although she was in Tanzania, Cindy was able to talk with Jan each day and right before her passing shared with her the sights and sounds of the Serengeti and extending her gratitude to have had her as her mother. In the end, Jan was cared for by those loved ones who were such a large part of her life.

In the spring or early summer, a memorial service will be held. Date to be determined.

Jan is survived by her two daughters, Pamela Palmer Farrer (David Farrer), Cindy Palmer Johnson (Donald Johnson, granddaughters Danielle Hereford (Mark Hereford), Samantha Johnson (Manuel Gomez), Maya Schraffenberger (Neil Schraffenberger), Shawntee Bogardus (Chuck Bowman), and her great grandchildren Declan Bowman, Harlow Bogardus Bowman, Calvin Hereford, Sawyer Hereford, Antonio Gomez Johnson, Julian Gomez Johnson, and nephew Bill Carey (Helen Carey) and Jennifer Fox (Jerry Fox), Susan Carey and numerous great grandnieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her father Roy Merrick, her mother Estelle Wanninger, her stepfather, Rudy Wanninger, her husband Ralph Bogardus, son Don Bogardus, her sister Marlene Carey, brother-in-law Daniel Carey, nephew Michael Carey, and great niece Kathy Peter.