Bernice Ashlee (Brown) was born on 28 April 1930 in Shellbrook, Saskatchewan. Bernice was the eldest of two daughters, Jacqui being the younger sibling born to Dorothy and Ray Brown. Bernice was educated at the University of Saskatchewan and received her teaching degree from the School Teacher College in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She accepted a teaching position in Fort Nelson, B.C. in the fall of 1952. It was there she met Walter Ashlee, a serious relationship developed quickly and they were married September 4, 1954 in Dawson Creek, B.C. They lived in Fort Nelson until 1956. By this time Bernice and Walter had 2 children, Glenn and Janice.
Bernice and Walter moved to Dawson Creek in 1956 and had 3 more children, Grant, Terry and Tom. They lived in a 2 bedroom house on 100A Avenue until Bernice arranged, in 1966, to have a new house built on 9200 – 6th Street. Bernice and Walter bought and moved to a small farm in Gundy Alberta in 1977 and it was there she was most happy in her garden of prize winning flowers. Life for Bernice was full and rewarding while working for McCoy Spring and Steering and for many years with the Peace River School District.
Bernice’s life was filled with the flowers of the Horticulture Society and she spent many days judging entries at the Fall Fair. She was always available to those who were seeking advice on growing flowers. Her favorites were lilies.
Bernice was an accomplished curler and in 1963, along with her teammates, represented Alberta in the Canadian Women’s finals. She got her start in curling in Fort Nelson in the early 50’s.
At the age of 69, Bernice took up flying and earned her recreational pilots licence, a dream she had for a long time. She rented a Cessna 172 and with her partner Hazel Moffit, flew to Fort Nelson to punctuate her love of flying.
After Walters’s death in 1994, Bernice decided to sell the farm and move back to Fort Nelson to be near her son Terry. She spent many of her final years enjoying life in Fort Nelson riding along with Peter Villers on forest fire patrol and pottering in her garden and greenhouse in Terry’s back yard.
Bernice died on October 28, 2019 in the Fort Nelson Hospital and leaves to mourn, her sons Glenn, Grant (Moira), and Terry, her daughter Janice, her sister Jacqui and her husband Tom Fenty, her grandchildren Aleah and Michaela Ashlee, Ashleigh and Rick Walker, her brother-in-law Len Ashlee (Carol), and sisters-in-law Doreen and Myrna Ashlee, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Bernice is predeceased by her parents, husband Walter and her son Thomas.
Bernice will be laid to rest beside her husband Walter in the Brookside Cemetery on Sunday, November 10, 2019 at 2:00pm. Expressions of sympathy may be made by donation to the South Peace SPCA, 637 – 114 Avenue, Dawson Creek, British Columbia V1G 3A1.
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Bernice Ashlee October 28th 2019..
Bergeron Funeral Services & Crematorium
Décès pour la Ville: DAWSON-CREEK, Province: Colombie britanique