BERNICE LEWIS COLLINS
December 24, 1924 to January 17th 2016
Bernice was born on Christmas Eve in 1924 in Benton City, WA on Acord Road, and lived in Benton City her entire 91 years of her life. At the time of her death she was the oldest person still alive who was born in Benton City. She moved with her family as a small child to a homestead looking over the city and she never moved to another property until she met the love of her life. She and her husband built a house on that same family property.
She attended a local dance at the old Community Center with friends and ended up being recruited to play the drums in the band. Also there that night were some young Navy boys who were stationed at the Pasco Naval Base by the airport.
A young sailor told his buddies that night he "Was going to marry that girl some day". Several months later on February 16, 1944, in the living room of her family home, he married that girl. A year later their daughter was born. Then a three years later they had their second daughter. They raised their two daughters in Benton City. Both daughters and Bernice were proud members of the Kiona Benton 12 year group.
Her husband worked for J.A. Jones Construction for 40 years while Bernice held down the house and had various jobs from working in the fruit canning warehouse, cashier at the local grocery, and selling Avon in the late 70's. Upon her husband's retirement, Bernice was working at a local flower shop that was offered up for sale called B.C.'s Flower & Gifts. They purchased the flower shop in the mid 80's and held on strong making flower arrangements, deliveries and taking care of Benton City's floral needs for over 20 years and finally retiring again the summer of 2001. They were very successful with their business and most people in town remembered her from there.
At the time of her passing, she had still been making silk flower arrangements for her daughter's, gift shop in Benton City. She supplied all the work arranging all of the downtown hanging flower baskets for the merchants in the summer of 2015 and was even overseeing a wedding bouquet for her granddaughter and great-granddaughters to carry as a family heirloom a few days before her passing. She had a passion for family, flowers, gardening and was a wicked gambler in her senior years having fun with her husband and long time best friend traveling to Legend's Casino sometimes as often as once a week or 2 weeks. Bernice is survived by her husband: grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren, and her best friend of almost 50 years.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father Barney V. and Hazel Lewis, older brother Barney V. Jr. and wife Maxine Lewis, younger sister Maxine (Lewis) Fennell and former brother in law Forrest Fennell; daughter Beverly (Collins) Bosch and a day after Bernice's passing she lost her son in law Gerald Bosch Sr.
A friends and family graveside service was held at Evergreen Cemetary in Benton City. A Celebration of Life casual Open House will be held on February 27th at Victory Christian Center at 313-B, 3rd Street in Benton City.
Full obituary published in the Tri-City Herald, January 31, 2016.
December 24, 1924 to January 17th 2016
Bernice was born on Christmas Eve in 1924 in Benton City, WA on Acord Road, and lived in Benton City her entire 91 years of her life. At the time of her death she was the oldest person still alive who was born in Benton City. She moved with her family as a small child to a homestead looking over the city and she never moved to another property until she met the love of her life. She and her husband built a house on that same family property.
She attended a local dance at the old Community Center with friends and ended up being recruited to play the drums in the band. Also there that night were some young Navy boys who were stationed at the Pasco Naval Base by the airport.
A young sailor told his buddies that night he "Was going to marry that girl some day". Several months later on February 16, 1944, in the living room of her family home, he married that girl. A year later their daughter was born. Then a three years later they had their second daughter. They raised their two daughters in Benton City. Both daughters and Bernice were proud members of the Kiona Benton 12 year group.
Her husband worked for J.A. Jones Construction for 40 years while Bernice held down the house and had various jobs from working in the fruit canning warehouse, cashier at the local grocery, and selling Avon in the late 70's. Upon her husband's retirement, Bernice was working at a local flower shop that was offered up for sale called B.C.'s Flower & Gifts. They purchased the flower shop in the mid 80's and held on strong making flower arrangements, deliveries and taking care of Benton City's floral needs for over 20 years and finally retiring again the summer of 2001. They were very successful with their business and most people in town remembered her from there.
At the time of her passing, she had still been making silk flower arrangements for her daughter's, gift shop in Benton City. She supplied all the work arranging all of the downtown hanging flower baskets for the merchants in the summer of 2015 and was even overseeing a wedding bouquet for her granddaughter and great-granddaughters to carry as a family heirloom a few days before her passing. She had a passion for family, flowers, gardening and was a wicked gambler in her senior years having fun with her husband and long time best friend traveling to Legend's Casino sometimes as often as once a week or 2 weeks. Bernice is survived by her husband: grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren, and her best friend of almost 50 years.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father Barney V. and Hazel Lewis, older brother Barney V. Jr. and wife Maxine Lewis, younger sister Maxine (Lewis) Fennell and former brother in law Forrest Fennell; daughter Beverly (Collins) Bosch and a day after Bernice's passing she lost her son in law Gerald Bosch Sr.
A friends and family graveside service was held at Evergreen Cemetary in Benton City. A Celebration of Life casual Open House will be held on February 27th at Victory Christian Center at 313-B, 3rd Street in Benton City.
Full obituary published in the Tri-City Herald, January 31, 2016.
BERNICE LEWIS COLLINS
December 24, 1924 to January 17th 2016
Bernice was born on Christmas Eve in 1924 in Benton City, WA on Acord Road, and lived in Benton City her entire 91 years of her life. At the time of her death she was the oldest person still alive who was born in Benton City. She moved with her family as a small child to a homestead looking over the city and she never moved to another property until she met the love of her life. She and her husband built a house on that same family property.
She attended a local dance at the old Community Center with friends and ended up being recruited to play the drums in the band. Also there that night were some young Navy boys who were stationed at the Pasco Naval Base by the airport.
A young sailor told his buddies that night he "Was going to marry that girl some day". Several months later on February 16, 1944, in the living room of her family home, he married that girl. A year later their daughter was born. Then a three years later they had their second daughter. They raised their two daughters in Benton City. Both daughters and Bernice were proud members of the Kiona Benton 12 year group.
Her husband worked for J.A. Jones Construction for 40 years while Bernice held down the house and had various jobs from working in the fruit canning warehouse, cashier at the local grocery, and selling Avon in the late 70's. Upon her husband's retirement, Bernice was working at a local flower shop that was offered up for sale called B.C.'s Flower & Gifts. They purchased the flower shop in the mid 80's and held on strong making flower arrangements, deliveries and taking care of Benton City's floral needs for over 20 years and finally retiring again the summer of 2001. They were very successful with their business and most people in town remembered her from there.
At the time of her passing, she had still been making silk flower arrangements for her daughter's, gift shop in Benton City. She supplied all the work arranging all of the downtown hanging flower baskets for the merchants in the summer of 2015 and was even overseeing a wedding bouquet for her granddaughter and great-granddaughters to carry as a family heirloom a few days before her passing. She had a passion for family, flowers, gardening and was a wicked gambler in her senior years having fun with her husband and long time best friend traveling to Legend's Casino sometimes as often as once a week or 2 weeks. Bernice is survived by her husband: grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren, and her best friend of almost 50 years.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father Barney V. and Hazel Lewis, older brother Barney V. Jr. and wife Maxine Lewis, younger sister Maxine (Lewis) Fennell and former brother in law Forrest Fennell; daughter Beverly (Collins) Bosch and a day after Bernice's passing she lost her son in law Gerald Bosch Sr.
A friends and family graveside service was held at Evergreen Cemetary in Benton City. A Celebration of Life casual Open House will be held on February 27th at Victory Christian Center at 313-B, 3rd Street in Benton City.
Full obituary published in the Tri-City Herald, January 31, 2016.
December 24, 1924 to January 17th 2016
Bernice was born on Christmas Eve in 1924 in Benton City, WA on Acord Road, and lived in Benton City her entire 91 years of her life. At the time of her death she was the oldest person still alive who was born in Benton City. She moved with her family as a small child to a homestead looking over the city and she never moved to another property until she met the love of her life. She and her husband built a house on that same family property.
She attended a local dance at the old Community Center with friends and ended up being recruited to play the drums in the band. Also there that night were some young Navy boys who were stationed at the Pasco Naval Base by the airport.
A young sailor told his buddies that night he "Was going to marry that girl some day". Several months later on February 16, 1944, in the living room of her family home, he married that girl. A year later their daughter was born. Then a three years later they had their second daughter. They raised their two daughters in Benton City. Both daughters and Bernice were proud members of the Kiona Benton 12 year group.
Her husband worked for J.A. Jones Construction for 40 years while Bernice held down the house and had various jobs from working in the fruit canning warehouse, cashier at the local grocery, and selling Avon in the late 70's. Upon her husband's retirement, Bernice was working at a local flower shop that was offered up for sale called B.C.'s Flower & Gifts. They purchased the flower shop in the mid 80's and held on strong making flower arrangements, deliveries and taking care of Benton City's floral needs for over 20 years and finally retiring again the summer of 2001. They were very successful with their business and most people in town remembered her from there.
At the time of her passing, she had still been making silk flower arrangements for her daughter's, gift shop in Benton City. She supplied all the work arranging all of the downtown hanging flower baskets for the merchants in the summer of 2015 and was even overseeing a wedding bouquet for her granddaughter and great-granddaughters to carry as a family heirloom a few days before her passing. She had a passion for family, flowers, gardening and was a wicked gambler in her senior years having fun with her husband and long time best friend traveling to Legend's Casino sometimes as often as once a week or 2 weeks. Bernice is survived by her husband: grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren, and her best friend of almost 50 years.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father Barney V. and Hazel Lewis, older brother Barney V. Jr. and wife Maxine Lewis, younger sister Maxine (Lewis) Fennell and former brother in law Forrest Fennell; daughter Beverly (Collins) Bosch and a day after Bernice's passing she lost her son in law Gerald Bosch Sr.
A friends and family graveside service was held at Evergreen Cemetary in Benton City. A Celebration of Life casual Open House will be held on February 27th at Victory Christian Center at 313-B, 3rd Street in Benton City.
Full obituary published in the Tri-City Herald, January 31, 2016.
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