Frances Gloria Berlin

April 25, 1921 – May 6, 2016

A life story as told by her nephew Jon DuFresne

My aunt Fran Berlin, or “Auntie” as I always called her, was a consistent presence during my childhood years. Somewhere between a second mother and a hip older sister she brought an exciting energy into my life during our frequent times together throughout my formative years. Fran’s younger sister Bebe, was my mother. Along with my father, Earle DuFresne and me, the only child, the four of us formed a tight extended family that existed as if by pre-destiny.

For as much time as we spent together, many of the details of Fran’s life and the Berlin family history are not clear to me. I’m going to do my best to tell Fran’s story and the lasting impression she made upon me.

Bebe and Fran were the youngest of a very large family. Nick and Emily (Sarekela) Berlin were married in 1898. Both were born in Finland in the 1870’s. Nick emigrated to the US in the 1890’s and Emily followed soon after. They settled in Ironwood, Michigan in the area known as the Upper Peninsula, on the banks of Lake Superior. Nick worked in the copper mines and together they bought a farm and raised fifteen children. Nick and Emily were hard working people who survived much hardship including the great depression of the 1930’s. Nick and Emily passed away sometime in the 1940’s.

Bebe and Fran were extremely close and their paths intertwined throughout their lives. They were as close friends as any two people can be. I’m not sure of the relationship with the other siblings, but I do know both Fran and Bebe were close with older sister Nan (Garre) and brother Roy Berlin.

In the 1940’s Fran followed Bebe to Palatine, Illinois where sister Nan lived. Fran had stayed behind in Ironwood to take care of her mother who had suffered a stroke. Bebe had married my father Earle, who was by then stationed in the south pacific during World War II. After the war Fran followed Bebe and Earle to Oregon where they had relocated.

While in Portland in the 1950’s, Fran went to work for Paramount Optical as an accountant. While working for Paramount, Fran had the opportunity to work for their San Francisco office and eventually relocated to their Seattle, Washington office in the early 1960’s. Fran lived in Seattle, working for Paramount till the early 1970’s.

While working at Paramount, Fran met the love of her life Gil Fike. Gil was a salesman at Paramount. Though they met in the 50’s it was not until the early 70’s that Fran and Gil would unite as a couple.

Every six weeks or so throughout my childhood in the 60’s and early 70’s, we would drive or take the train to visit Fran in Seattle or she would come down to Portland to visit us. It was during those times together that I bonded with Fran and her personality influenced my own. Spending time with Fran always meant a time to indulge in the good life; Going out to dinner, sightseeing, Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July and always spirited conversation.

In my eyes Fran was stunning beauty and urban sophisticated chic. She was always very playful and affectionate with me. But if I acted up, she wasn’t afraid to let me know. Of course, I always tried to be on my best behavior when she was around. I remember she would always give me two dollars whenever she visited, two dollars which seemed like a fortune at that time. Fran had a feisty, vivacious attitude that was always fun to be around.

Seattle was an exciting town to visit, much more cosmopolitan than Portland. Fran had a cool apartment on Queen Anne Hill. I remember the day that my mom told me Fran and Gil were going to be together and how she was leaving her job and her apartment so they could travel together. She never said anything about marriage, which, in retrospect, was a rather bold move, considering non-traditional relationships were not something we thought of as people of our parent’s generations engaging in. Though to me, a teenager at that time, saw it was a love that was meant to be.

I didn’t see too much of Fran for the next 20 years, though I always knew what her and Gil were up to. Gil had a converted Greyhound bus that they traveled the country in. They also traveled internationally to New Guinea and other exotic locations.

I didn’t begin reconnecting with Fran until after Gil passed away in 2001. Gil and Fran had settled in Grants Pass, Oregon, near the California border. Coincidentally, Earle, my father, passed away around the same time. Bebe, now living in Beaverton, Oregon and Fran in Grants Pass, resumed visiting each other on a regular basis. In 2009, Fran relocated to Beaverton, moving in with Bebe. The Berlin girls were back together again.

In those years Fran and Bebe maintained their friendships with family and friends. They made trips back to Ironwood, Michigan as well as corresponded regularly with sister Nan’s daughter Delores and daughter in law June. Fran and Bebe were very close with brother Roy’s daughter Lorene, who we call Pinky. Pinky, who lives in Salem, Oregon would visit regularly and was a great help to them. I would come up from Los Angeles almost every month so I could be part of their lives. In 2013 Fran and Bebe moved into assisted living at Canfield Place in Beaverton.

In 2014, Bebe passed away. Fran and I got to spend a wonderful last day with Bebe at Bonneville Dam. Fran had watched closely over Bebe in her final years. Their sisterhood remained strong to the end.

Fran would say she couldn’t believe she was the last one her families generation left. Fran loved watching the Golf channel and the television show “Bones”. She gave generously to many charities. When I would visit we would always go out to eat at our favorite restaurants; Elmer’s, Ruby Tuesdays, The Village Inn, Hales and Hometown Buffett. We would get in the car and drive, with no particular destination in mind, ending up at locations such as the Oregon coast or where ever the road took us on that day.

On April 6th that road came to an end. Fran and I were able to celebrate her 95th birthday together less than two weeks earlier. Pinky got to visit with her one last time while before she passed as well. In the months before she passed Fran spoke of hearing a man singing to her. She would ask us if we heard the singing, we could not. I believe there was a man singing to her, guiding her back to Gil, Bebe and Earle and her next adventure.