Bernice (Luke) Rozell

Bernice (Luke) Rozell was born on October 22, 1932, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Howard and Estella Rush. Raised in humble beginnings alongside her two siblings, Estella Sparks and Howard Rush, she was grounded from an early age by a deep and abiding faith in God.

After completing high school, she married Arthur Luke Sr., a dedicated United States Army serviceman, and together they built a life that would take them across the country and around the world before ultimately planting their roots in Paso Robles, California, where she would raise her six beloved children.

Bernice was a woman of extraordinary courage, conviction, and character. Having lived through the Jim Crow era in the heart of the Deep South, she channeled her values into action, playing an integral role in the historic bus strikes by dispatching integrated drivers to transport African Americans protesting racial segregation. A devoted military spouse, she anchored her family through every relocation with grace and unwavering dedication, never losing sight of what mattered most: faith, family, and service to others.

Her gifts were as varied as they were remarkable. A devoted educator, she shaped young minds at Georgia Brown Elementary School and Oak Park and Rainbow Bright preschools. A gifted seamstress trained in millinery school, she created stunning garments worthy of a fashion runway, while also instilling in her family the importance of always presenting their best. Those same talented hands fed her family and community with soul-satisfying meals and irresistible baked goods, nourishing all who gathered at her table with both food and love.

Faith was the foundation upon which Bernice built everything. A faithful member of Second Baptist Church, she served as a Sunday school teacher, usher board member, and President of the Mother Board until 2023. Her compassion extended far beyond the church walls, from feeding the underserved in Munich, Germany, to serving the homeless through Christ's Kitchen at Second Baptist Church. She was a living embodiment of the Fruits of the Spirit and a woman whose grace, elegance, and quiet presence commanded every room she entered. Never more than a phone call away, she was a steady source of comfort, wisdom, and unconditional love, making everyone around her feel seen, valued, and deeply cherished.

Bernice was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Estella Rush, her brother Howard Rush, her sister Estella Sparks, her grandsons Quewanncoii and Aaron, and her great-grandson Dominic. She leaves to cherish her memory her six beloved children, Nolan Luke, Priscilla (Luke) Greer (Bruce), Arthur Luke (Sharon), Maureen “Niecy” (Luke) Nettles, Thaddeus Luke (Vickie), and “Faye” Vanessa Wofford (Benny); her grandchildren, Eurydice, Yancy (Jenny), Neshia, Janiene (Jason), Bernatrice, Shawnodesa, Philip (Kourtney), Brandon (Diana), Asia (Carney), Taylor (Leslie), and Savannah; her great-grandchildren, Cody, Dillon, Grace, Alexia, Aaron, Jaedyn, Christian, Jaya, Gracelynn, Aiden, Janise, Micah, and Tarin; and a host of extended family and friends whose lives were forever blessed by her presence.

Mother Bernice “Luke” Rozell was not just loved, she was a gift from God to this family and to all whose lives she touched.

We find comfort in knowing that she is now resting in the arms of her Heavenly Father,

hearing the words she so rightly earned:

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Matthew 25:23