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
