Obituary
Wenche Johnsen
Wenche Mariendal Johnsen died on May 25, in her Saratoga home at the age of 58.
Johnsen was born Jan. 31, 1942, in Gjovik, Norway. As a youth, she attended boarding school in Ramsgate, England, where her teachers despaired that she couldn't seem to master a proper English accent. Instead, they told her she sounded like an American.
It was a propitious comment, as Johnsen would eventually emigrate to the United States via a boat on very stormy seas. She settled in New York, where she became friends with two other young Norwegian women, Astrid and Liz. The three remained lifelong friends. After working at various jobs and saving her money, Johnsen set off on a bus tour across America. When her funds ran low, she stopped and worked for a while, then set off again.
She eventually reached San Francisco, where she roomed with two people named Ginger and David, who also remained her friends for many years. While attending a party her cousin Turid held in Palo Alto, Johnsen met her future husband, Robert "Bob" Johnsen. She didn't like him very much at the time, although she did allow him to drive her home from the party.
Several months later, she met him again at another party and the two hit it off. They were married one year later. The headstrong young woman made four demands of her new husband: she wanted a house, a dog, a palm tree and a baby. First, they bought a house in Almaden Valley, where they planted a palm tree. For her birthday, her husband bought her a collie puppy, whom they named Pixie. A year later, the couple's daughter Kristin was born.
After a few years spent living in the Netherlands, the couple moved back to the area, this time settling in the Saratoga hills in a house they designed themselves. Eventually, their animal menagerie grew to include dogs, birds, fish and a horse.
Although Johnsen never took an outside job after she married, she maintained and improved the home, managed all of the family's finances and made plans for both Kristin's college and the couple's own retirement. She also enjoyed taking many trips--some to Norway to visit relatives and many trips to other countries.
"Strong and independent as she was, she had a wonderful empathy for people and was always generous, loyal and helpful. Of her many good qualities, her way with people was probably the best," her family remembers of her.
Survivors include husband of 33 years Robert L. Johnsen of Saratoga; daughter and son-in-law Kristin and Sebastian Praly of Ben Lomond; granddaughter Katelyn Praly of Ben Lomond; brother Olav Mariendal and sister Bodil Hjelsbakken, both of Norway.
Memorial services have been held.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
