Jan Fougner
November 6, 1942 - March 22, 2017
Jan Fougner, father, husband, architect, brother, uncle, lawyer, grandfather, and real estate broker, a longtime resident of Oakland, died on March 22. Jan was born in Oslo, Norway to Lucie and Sven Fougner. The family moved to the United States when Jan was 7. He grew up in Garden City, N.Y. and graduated from the Cornell University College of Architecture, Art and Planning in 1970. As an architecture student, he worked for Marcel Breuer and Associates in New York City. His education was interrupted by two years in the Army, stationed in Vietnam. Upon his return, he was introduced to classmate and fellow Norwegian Ragnhild Aagaard by mutual friends who wanted to hear them speak Norwegian. (Much to the disappointment of their friends, no Norwegian was spoken that night, but it did come in handy in later years when they wanted a private word in front of their children.) Jan and Ragnhild married in 1970 and moved to California, on the toss of a coin, in 1972. Jan practiced architecture at Backen Arrigoni & Ross and in his own practice. His work included multi- and single-family residences in the western states.
An enthusiastic proponent of lifelong learning, Jan earned a J.D. at UC Hastings College of the Law in 1984. He turned to real estate, which gave him the flexibility to be a full participant in the upbringing of his three children, whom he adored. For many years, Jan ran the College Preparatory School Book Fair and managed the logistics of the Bentley School Wine & Food Festival.
Jan became the owner of Rockridge Realty. His outgoing nature and sense of humor made him many friends in the community; his knowledge of architecture and the law, along with his honesty and integrity, earned him the respect and appreciation of loyal clients; and the neighborhood dogs knew they could always get a biscuit through the office door mail slot. Jan had a generous impulse to help people. He rescued a fellow College Avenue shopkeeper shot in an armed robbery, saved a boy from drowning in a rushing, rocky Tahoe creek, and lifted a truck off his Lawton Avenue neighbor.
Among the people he dearly loved, and who loved him just as much and will miss him terribly, are his wife, Ragnhild; his children and children-in-law, Lucie and Brendan (McLoughlin), Jon and Ashley, and Annie; his siblings, Kari Inglis, Svein Fougner, Cici Hunt, Kiki Karpen, and Peter Fougner; and his siblings-in-law, Astrid Giovanetti, Knut and Ann Aagaard, Jean Strickland, Peter Karpen, and Louise Fougner. Jan was blessed with many wonderful nieces and nephews, and he was especially proud to be godfather to his niece Roxanne Giovanetti. His brand new grandchildren, Ellisiv Fougner and Theodore McLoughlin, will get to know him through their parents’ fond memories.
There will be a celebration of Jan’s life on April 30. For those who knew him and wish to share their memories of him, please call the family at (510) 652-8873 for details. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your favorite educational institution.