JOANN SIEGFRIED
Coronado Matriarch, Water Woman
(1939-2024)
In the summer of 1963, newlywed Joann Siegfried moved to Coronado with her high school sweetheart, now a young naval officer and pilot. Little did she know how her life would grow and change; the rewards she would receive from raising a family and meeting new friends, as she explored and fell in love with her Coronado “Paradise.”
Joann Elisabeth Trumbull entered this world on May 29, 1939. She was born in the family home, in Santa Monica Canyon. Her father was an engineer at Douglas Aircraft and her mother an accomplished artist and illustrator of children’s books. Joann was the oldest of three children. She attended Canyon Grammar School, Lincoln Jr. High and Santa Monica High School. After graduation from Santa Monica High, she furthered her education by attending Santa Monica City College, UC Santa Barbara, and UCLA.
Her family was athletically inclined and at a young age Joann was taught to sail, ski and swim. She became an accomplished water person and spent her weekends and summers sailboat racing up and down the coast, surfing at Malibu, snow skiing at Mammoth and Big Bear, playing tennis and doing competitive swimming and diving.
The family home was filled with silver trophies earned by Joann and her siblings. Her father had instilled a competitive spirit in his children that served them well throughout their lives.
In the summer of 1952 her father bought her a used, 10-foot Bob Simmons “Hydrodynamic twin-fin” surfboard. Later, through earning her own money lifeguarding and teaching swimming, she was able to buy a much lighter Velzy-Jacobs surfboard that allowed her to increase her surfing skills. She surfed with many young surfers who went on to become surfing legends – Mickey Munoz, the Cole brothers, Ricky and Robin Gregg, etc. She was asked by movie producers to be in the 1959 movie, “Gidget,” but turned them down.
“Being in the movies was definitely not my thing,” she would recall years later. She saw the writing on the wall. Hollywood destroyed the quiet sport of surfing. Her favorite breaks were suddenly overrun with beginners and tourists wanting to become part of the craze.
When Joann and Doug moved to Coronado, she continued to bodysurf locally, but when the young couple began to have children, tennis became an easier sport to schedule in between family needs. Joann was a superb tennis player, and demonstrated great power and agility on the court. She was nice, sweet, but with a killer instinct on the court. She really knew how to end a point.
During Doug’s 27 years in the Navy, they were stationed for brief tours in Pennsylvania, Washington and Hawaii. They bought their home in Coronado in 1970, from local realtor and former movie star, Johnny Downs. “That was one of the best decisions of our lives,” Joann would say.
She once described to a friend how lousy their planning was when it came to having children. “Our first son, Jack ‘Chip,’ was born in San Diego in 1964, just a few weeks before my husband left on his first cruise.
“Our second son, Ben, was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in 1966. Our daughter, Sharon ‘Peachy’ was born in Coronado in 1970 while my husband was on a cruise.”
In the 1970s Joann went back to school and obtained her BA at the Design Institute of San Diego. She practiced interior design for 20 years and was a member of ASID. After that she became more interested in art and studied drawing and watercolor at the Athenaeum in La Jolla. She sold her work at an artist co-op/gallery and at two other shops in Coronado.
Joann spent her later years painting and staying fit, playing tennis, swimming laps, and getting in the ocean to body surf when the weather was warm. She and Doug loved to travel throughout Europe, Mexico and Hawaii whenever they could.
She remained in touch with old friends and classmates up until her final days. “I feel fortunate to have had such a wonderful life,” she said. “I’ve been married for 60 years, I have a great and loving family, I’ve met and known so many wonderful people. I am truly blessed to have lived in this lovely corner of the world and been able to see the ocean every day.”
Joann lived long enough to see all her children grow and succeed. They presented her with four grandchildren. All her children and grandchildren are carrying the torch; continuing to grow the legacy of mom’s love of the ocean, and keeping her memory alive forevermore.
Joann Siegfried peacefully left this world in her sleep, April 19, surrounded by the comforting presence of her family. Joann was a cherished member of the Coronado community and her departure leaves a void that will be deeply felt.
She was a true embodiment of the spirit of Coronado, driven by her love for the ocean and its calming beauty. Her presence would always light up the room, and her infectious laughter and warm smile would instantly brighten the day of those around her.
When talking to Joann, one nearly always walked away having learned something they didn’t know before – whether it be a forgotten point of local history, ocean conditions, or just her enriching philosophy on life. Her kind and generous nature touched the lives of many, and she will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Joann is survived by her husband Doug. She is also survived by her children Chip (Zaira) of Imperial Beach; Ben of Coronado; Peachy (Andrew) of Coronado, and four grandchildren.
The family asks that instead of flowers, donations be made, “In Loving Memory of Joann Siegfried,” to the Friends of the Coronado Library (P.O. Box 180172 Coronado, CA 92178-0172).
