The much-loved matriarch of our family, Bernice Tebeau Souders, passed away on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at the age of 95. She was born in Toledo, Ohio, the oldest child of Ernest and Bertha Tebeau. She attended Waite High School in Toledo, then worked as an operator for the Bell System. Answering the call of her country, she served as a Navy Wave during WWII as a Link Trainer Instructor, while stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas. It was there she met the love of her life, Ralph Souders. They were married for 38 years. She raised ten children, first in Riverside, Illinois, then in Orlando, Florida. She worked for the Orlando Public Library as the Assistant Head of Circulation. Upon retiring, she began doing volunteer work, first for Second Harvest Food Bank, and later for the Adult Literacy League. She continued her volunteer work to the age of 88.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Souders, her brother, Richard Tebeau, and her sister, Marilyn Davis. She is survived by her ten children: Mary-Gail “Stormy” Sebek, Ralph Souders Jr., Margaret Linnane, Catherine Crane, Ellen Smith, Louise LaPointe, Jane Marino, Anne Souders, Marian Ritts, John Souders, and their spouses.
She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Adult Literacy League, 345 W. Michigan St., #100, Orlando, FL, 32806. www.adultliteracyleague.org.
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