Stan and Jan Berenstain created hundreds of books until Stan Berenstain’s death in 2005 at the age of 82. The sad news of Jan Berenstain's death at 88 has me reminiscing on my buddies The Berenstain Bears today. Jan Berenstain and her husband, Stan, published their first Berenstain Bears book in 1962. Mike Berenstain is an illustrator who collaborated on … She was 88. Mike Berenstain is an illustrator who collaborated on … In an interview with "The Washington Post," she once admitted that Mama bear was "based on me. But I'm not as nice or stalwart." Soon, Jan and her husband had created a successful franchise which, over the years, resulted in more than 300 titles released in 23 languages. After Stan's death, she worked on the books with her son Michael. Jan Berenstain in 2011. Stan and Jan Berenstain created hundreds of books until Stan Berenstain's death in 2005 at the age of 82 . JAN Berenstain, who with her husband, Stan, wrote and illustrated the Berenstain Bears books that have charmed preschoolers and their parents for 50 years, has died at the age of 88. Stan and Jan Berenstain created hundreds of books until Stan Berenstain’s death in 2005. Selected works. Photograph: AP. Mike Berenstain is an illustrator who collaborated on the books with his mother in recent years. PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jan Berenstain, who with her husband, Stan, wrote and illustrated the Berenstain Bears books that have charmed preschoolers and their parents for 50 years, has died. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Geisel, was the … Stan and Jan Berenstain created hundreds of books until Stan Berenstain's death in 2005 at the age of 82. Cause of death: stroke . Author, Illustrator. Mike Berenstain is an illustrator who collaborated on the books with his mother in recent years. Stan and Jan Berenstain created hundreds of books until Stan Berenstain's death in 2005 at the age of 82. His elder brother, writer Leo Berenstain, is involved with the business end of … Jan Berenstain died of a stroke on February 24, 2012.