Joe Bergstrom passed away peacefully Thursday morning, April 30, at The Advent House, a comfort care hospice home. 

He proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 1958 to 1964 on board the USS Waccamaw as a Signalman Second Class (SM2).

Born in The Bronx, he was raised in both NYC and Pennsylvania before moving to Syracuse and ultimately Rochester with his wife, Gerry (Kinsley) Bergstrom. He and Gerry built a family together with two treasured daughters, Erika Lee and Alexa Kinsley.

An accomplished businessman, he founded Bergstrom Steel Company, a successful tool-and-die company in Rochester during the 1980s. He had a gift for sales and spent much of his career in the steel industry.

He embraced life’s pleasures and simple joys: traveling—especially to the Caribbean and Florida—fishing, cigars, Beefeater martinis, Gouda cheese and hot sauces, warm sunny days, golf in earlier years, and cheering for the Buffalo Bills. He also held a special love for Keuka Lake where he single-handedly built the family’s first cottage, “Valhalla,” and later renovated and rebuilt a condemned lake home, “The Breakers."

He is predeceased by his daughter Erika Lee, and his wife Gerry Bergstrom. He is survived by his loving daughter, Alexa Kinsley Bergstrom-LaDuke, and his two cherished grandchildren, Kinsley Emma (13) and Kaiden Joseph (11).

Alexa is deeply grateful for the loving and supportive community at Parkwood Heights where he happily lived the last six months, TLC Private Home Care for their compassionate care and companionship during his final week, and The Advent House for their extraordinary love, guidance, and support during his last 24 hours.

A private celebration of life will be held at Christ Church. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Advent House or Cancer Support Community at Gilda’s Club of Rochester. 

To share a special memory please visit Joe's guestbook at www.murphyfuneralservices.com.