Bastiaantge Verweerd, my Oma, (grandma in Dutch), was one of 10 children born in Dorderecht, Holland. She did change her name to Jean. Jean was the only member of her family who did come to the states. She came as a governess with a wealthy Indonesian family to New Orleans. The moved to Missouri for a short time and then went to Santa Barbara, California. Going through customs at Ellis Island was made easy for Oma, by means of this family paying her way. They returned to India, but she remained in America and moved to San Francisco where she took at job as a governess for the Marston family (wife to the opera singer Lawrence Tibbett).
Oma enjoyed opera’s, playing bridge, and being a housewife. After being married for 2 yrs, they started a family. Two sons – Bernard and John.
Bernard a healthy child growing up and enjoying the movies with the stars in the 40’s Big Band era. After graduation from high school he went into the Navy. In Auto- Gio, electrical training school, in St. Louis, MO. Here he met a lady at the U.S.O – Betty Wagner which was soon to be his wife. She came to San Francisco to be there when he came home from duty in the South Pacific. They went back to St. Louis to get married in 1946. After living in San Mateo for a short time they moved to Fresno, California, when Bern worked as a store clerk. They had one child, a son, Barry, who also served in the Navy.
