Lois June Gouwens: What Happened To Marcheline Bertrand's Mother?

May 2024 · 5 minute read

Who is Lois June Gouwens?

Lois June Gouwens is the mother of the late American actress, producer, and humanitarian Marcia Lynne Bertrand commonly known as Marcheline Bertrand. Besides being known for her work in the entertainment industry, Lois’ daughter Marcheline Bertrand was also popular as the former wife of actor Jon Voight, and the mother of actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian Angelina Jolie and actor James Haven.

Lois June Gouwens: Bio Summary

NameLois June Gouwens
Famous asmother of Marcheline Bertrand, grandmother of James Haven and Angelina Jolie
Date of birth14 February 1928
Died11 November 1973 (aged 45)
GenderFemale
SpouseRolland F. Bertrand
ChildrenMarcheline Bertrand, Raleigh Bertrand, and Debbie Bertrand
ParentsRoyal Gerrit Gouwens and Virginia Jean Kasha
GrandchildrenJames Haven and Angelina Jolie

Who Is Marcheline Bertrand’s Mother?

Lois June Bertrand (née Gouwens), mother of Marcheline Bertrand was born on 14th February 1928, in South Holland, Cook County, Illinois, USA, per Findagrave. Lois is the daughter of Roel Garrett Gowens / Gouwens and Virginia Amelia Jean Kasha Gowens / Gouwens. Her father, Roy G. Gouwens, was of Dutch origin, and her mother, Virginia Kasha, was of Polish descent. Lois June Gouwens was of Dutch and German ancestry.

Most details about Lois June Gouwens’ early life haven’t been disclosed to the public. Lois June Gouwens may have siblings but their information is not available. Nothing is known about her educational background and qualifications. She was the wife of Rolland F. Bertrand (June 11, 1923 – April 8, 1985), who was of French-Canadian descent. She and Rolland got married on 1 June 1949, in a ceremony that took place in Chicago, Cook, Illinois United States.

Lois June Gouwens and Rolland F. Bertrand became parents of two daughters and a son. They named their girls Marcia Lynne Bertrand and Debbie Bertrand. Their son was named Raleigh Bertrand. In 1965, the family relocated to Beverly Hills, California, from the Chicago area. Lois lived a private life away from publicity. Her daughter Marcia Lynne “Marcheline” Bertrand is the reason she is in the spotlight.

Lois June Gouwens’s daughter Marcheline worked as an actress, producer, and humanitarian. She played Connie in an episode of the TV Series Ironside. She appeared as Girl in Jeep in Lookin’ to Get Out and Girl in The Man Who Loved Women. She served as an executive producer of Trudell. In 1983, she became the founder of Woods Road Productions with her then-partner, Bill Day. She and her partner, John Trudell, founded the All Tribes Foundation, to support the cultural and economic survival of Native peoples.

Marcheline became the mother of James Haven and Angelina Jolie, after marrying American actor Jon Voight. Their children, James (b. May 11, 1973) and Angelina (b. June 4, 1975) are both well-known for their work in the film business. James is an actor, producer, and director. Angelina Jolie is an actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. Angelina is a public figure, widely regarded as one of the most powerful and influential people in the American entertainment industry.

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What Happened To Lois June Gouwens?

Marcheline Bertrand’s mother, Lois June Gouwens died on 11 November 1973 at age 45. She died in Los Angeles County, California, USA. She died from ovarian cancer. She was buried in Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery, Alsip, Worth Township, Cook, Illinois, United States. Lois’ daughter Marcheline Bertrand also died after a long battle with ovarian and breast cancer. She died on January 27, 2007, at age 56.

Marcheline Bertrand passed away in Los Angeles, California, U.S. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in the company of her children. Lois’ daughter Debbie Martin (née Bertrand; 1952 – May 26, 2013, died from breast cancer at age 61). Lois’ granddaughter actress Angelina Jolie said: “My grandmother also died young; so, my mother always thought it could happen to her.” Years after Marcheline passed away, her daughter Angelina got a small tattoo on her right hand of the letter “W” — a reference to the Rolling Stones song “Winter” which her mom sang to her as a baby.

Angelina said that the tattoo faded over the years along with the “feeling of home and protection”. She disclosed: “As the ‘W’ faded on my hand, so did that feeling of home and protection. Life has taken many turns. I’ve had my own loss and seen my life take a different direction. And it hurt more than I imagined it ever would.”

On what would have been Marcheline’s 73rd birthday, her daughter Angelina shared a post on May 8, 2023, on her Instagram handle. She posted a photo and wrote:

Tomorrow would have been my mother’s 73rd birthday. She passed away 15 years ago, after a long struggle with breast and ovarian cancer. In June, I will be a month away from the age when she was diagnosed. I have had preventive surgeries to try to lessen chances but I continue to have check ups. My mom loved Hendrix. And would always sign her letters Kiss the Sky. It took on new meaning after she passed. Sending my love to those who have also lost loved ones and strength to those who are fighting at this very moment for their lives and the lives of those they love. And to other women, please take the time to look after yourself and go for your mammograms and blood tests or ultrasounds, particularly if you have a family history of cancer. For more info, see the link in my bio #WOCD2023 #worldovariancancerday

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However, Angelina Jolie carries the BRCA1 gene mutation. She has an 87% chance of developing breast cancer and a 50% chance of developing ovarian cancer in her lifetime.”I choose not to keep my story private because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer. It is my hope that they, too, will be able to get gene tested, and that if they have a high risk they, too, will know that they have strong options“, she said.

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