Bernice Gregory Johnson,

103, died peacefully in her sleep

Sunday, March 2, 2008, lovingly

attended by her nurse Lisa Devareau

at Bene cial Home Care,

Vashon Island.

Bernice was born in Palouse,

Washington, April 5, 1904, the

youngest of nine children. Her

parents were Samuel Edwin and

Annie (Fisher) Gregory. She died

34 days short of her 104th birthday.

She read numerous books

every week and loved word

puzzles. She attributed her long

life to hard work and an active

mind. As a youngster, she worked

with her older brothers on the

farm, harnessed, and drove draft

horses. She had a lifelong love of

horses and dogs.

Bernice graduated from

Palouse High School in 1918.

She married Earl Bade in 1924.

They had two children, Virgil in 1926, and Earlanna in 1928. They resided in Hood

River and The Dalles, Oregon. They worked as fruit pickers, planted, and thinned crops.

They divorced in 1949. She trained to be a nurse at Columbia Hospital in The Dalles.

She earned her LPN degree in 1952.

Bernice married Art Brokaw in Forest Grove, Oregon. He died shortly after and she

moved to Tacoma to continue her nursing career.

In 1963, she married Merle Johnson, a retired farmer. They lived in Fife and Tacoma.

In 1965, she received a ve-year certi cate for faithful service at Tacoma General Hospital.

In the late ‘60s, Bernice and Merle retired to the Taylor Bay area near Longbranch,

Washington. They attended Longbranch Church. They enjoyed gardening and traveling

to Nebraska to visit his relatives. When Merle’s health failed, they moved to Tacoma. He

passed away in 1985.

In 1986, Bernice moved to Vashon Island to be near her oldest granddaughter,

Gaylen Gregory. She lived at Homeport Condominiums and enjoyed her friends and

neighbors immensely. She attended Bethel Church. She often questioned why she lived

so long, but she left this world with grace and dignity. She was laid to rest near Merle

Johnson at Longbranch Cemetery.

Bernice is survived her daughter, Anne Jaeger (George Horn) of Seaside, Oregon;

granddaughters, Gaylen Gregory Willett (Bruce) of Chelan, Washington; Melody Twiss

(John) of Warrenton, Oregon; grandson Stanley Dennis Cox (Nina) of Tigard, Oregon;

step-grandson Greg (Cindy) Norton of Marysville, Washington; niece JoAnn Sieger

(Tom) of North Bend, Oregon; lifelong family friends, Bruce and his son, Dean, Henning

of Ontario, California; and numerous great-grandchildren, great-grandnieces and

great-grandnephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her son Virgil in 1971, her brothers – Edwin,

Nelson, Hobart, Stanley, George; and sisters Isabelle May eld, Florence Torsen and

Ada Schoenborn; and a great-grandson, Michael Sterling R. Kelley.

Remembrances may be made to Longbranch Cemetery Assn.,

4806 Mahncke Rd KPS Longbranch, WA 98351