Bernice was known for being a faithful Christian woman. She loved children, was a great cook, loved to joke around, and enjoyed sitting on the front porch. Bernice graduated from school in the 8th grade. She worked as a pharmacy assistant at the Cunningham Drug store in Wyandotte for two years starting in 1952. Bernice also worked at the Baptist Park Day Care in Taylor for four years, from 1972 until 1976. She was a member of the Ladies Missionary Fellowship. Bernice was an avid walker, read the Bible every day, and was a Prayer Warrior.

"Bernice Marie Brooks Fugate was born to Henry Brooks and Ida Patrick on April 13th, 1934 in Morgan County (West Liberty), Kentucky.

She lived 76 years and two weeks. On June 7th, she would have been married to Ranz for 58 years. Bernice said she always wanted to go to Paradise, and so for their 40th Anniversary, Ranz took her to Hawaii. She indeed thought it was Paradise.

Bernice loved her three children and prayed for them each and every day. It was not uncommon to visit Bernice at her home, before her illness, and see her sitting at the kitchen table with her Bible open, having her daily dose of God's Word and Prayer for her children. She knew she hadn't been a perfect Mother, but she prayed God would take care of the things she did wrong to help her children become the people God wanted them to be. It was during her illness that she developed the most precious relationship a Mother could possibly have with her children.

Bernice was also a friend to little ones and anyone who knew her saw that love, as she volunteered to babysit in the church nursery over and over again. She also worked at Baptist Park Daycare for several years. One day her great-niece came to visit her in the nursing home during the days she didn't talk very much. After a few minutes with her niece, she opened up and said, "She's a pretty little thing isn't she?" That's what kids did to her…she just loved them.

Bernice never sang in the choir at church, but she loved to sing just the same. At family reunions you could always hear her singing the beautiful old hymns and harmonizing with her sisters. The last song any of us ever heard her sing was "I'll Fly Away". Despite being unable to remember anything else, she knew every word to that song. It was truly a Gift from God.

Bernice was also quite the jokester! She always had a funny story or something funny to say...she could always make you laugh. During her stay at the nursing facility, she gradually got to the point where she couldn't walk any longer. Her son, Tim, just wouldn't take no for an answer and worked extremely hard to get her out of her chair and walk down the hall. No matter how much work it was, he always walked her. One day she took off running down the hall and all the workers just stopped and stared in disbelief. It was like she was trying to joke around with them one last time and make everyone laugh...that's just the way she was.

Bernice lived a wonderful life and she will be remembered for the wonderful, Godly woman she was. We will miss her dearly."