Camille Dorothy (Paulsen) Ronneberg

April 1, 1926 - May 27, 2017

Camille Dorothy (Paulsen) Ronneberg, a fourth-generation San Franciscan, was born in San Francisco on April Fool’s Day 1926. Her father, Jack Paulsen, was a Norwegian seafarer; her mother Lillian Sampson’s family came from England to California for the 1849 Gold Rush, and helped found the town of Marysville.

For most of her childhood, she lived in the City’s Bernal Heights and Glen Park neighborhoods. With her father, she spent many Sundays exploring on foot nearly every corner of San Francisco, and shared his love of books and reading.

Camille was educated at San Francisco’s Fairmount Elementary and Commerce High Schools. Although she had hoped to attend college, war-time necessity sent her to work for the U.S. Treasury Department, where she was later named “Miss Treasury Bond of 1945” by the San Francisco Examiner.

In 1946, she married San Francisco policeman--and fellow Norwegian--Norman J. Ronneberg, fresh back from his service as a decorated World War II airman They bought one of the first post-war homes in the Outer Sunset district, where they raised three sons. To make sure her sons were never “latch key” kids, Camille worked only part-time as a secretary, but supplemented the family’s income by writing light verse and doggerel for ladies’ magazines. She was not only a loving mother and always impeccably dressed, but also smart as a whip.

Like her husband, Camille was active in the local Norwegian-American community. For many years, she was secretary and editor for both Henrik Ibsen Lodge No. 7, Sons of Norway and its multi-state region, as well as editor of several ScandinavianAmerican newsletters. Her summer home was at Henrik Ibsen Park, in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Following her husband’s retirement from the SF police department, the couple retired to Santa Rosa, where Camille lived for many years. Camille died on May 27 in Redwood City, CA. She is survived by her sons Norman of Berkeley, Martin of Boston and John (Joy) of Woodside; her grandchildren Christian (Margaret) of Shanghai, Erik (Allie) of Oakland; Kristina (Dan) of Dallas and Molly of Boston; great-grandchildren Jack and Henry, as well as her sister Dorothy Green of Tracy. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday June 4 at Henrik Ibsen Park, Woodside, Ca. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to either the Peder P. Johnsen Scholarships c/o Mrs. Joann Wentker, 650 Upland Dr., San Francisco CA 94127 or Henrik Ibsen Park, 13800 Skyline Blvd, #21, Woodside CA 94062.