Mary Patricia Bernaiche

Mary and her sister Kitty were only about 1 year apart in age and growing up they both loved and enjoyed a passion for dancing. They began tap dancing lessons at 6 years old. They enjoyed performing dance routines from Charleston to the jitterbug to the twist…much to the delight of their family and friends.

Mary married young and began her family tradition of loving her children, friends and family. She spent her first 30 years of life in MA and she met Roger Bernaiche. They married and she became an Army wife. Their travels really took off when he was stationed in Germany for 3 years. He went first and she followed with 5 young children later. Her parents took her and the 5 grandchildren to the airport to board their flight to Germany. Once on the plane the kids were crying and young GI’s tried to comfort the kids that the flight would not be bad and Mary told them the kids were mainly crying because of leaving their grandparents for the first time. Mary was such a strong woman/mother to take her 5 children and make this trip and develop this wonderful home life on the other side of the world.

While stationed in Germany, Mary met many women that were to become life-long friends. She met a lady named Barbara Hughes who over the years became her very best friend and still is today. These ladies remained friends over the years even though the military life took them in separate directions. However, several military reassignments took them to the same bases.

Mary’s greatest love is her Family. Family not only includes immediate family members but nieces, nephews, extended family and everyone was welcome into her life as a friend and she was warmly known by many as “Mom”.

Although Mary was stay-at-home Mom she eventually managed a Day Care Center for Children once her children were a bit older. After about 7 years she retired from the day care Center and chose to do child care in her home. This included her own grandchildren.

Funny story: Our Mom had a special cupboard that contained a variety of cookies and treats. When children, friends with their children came to visit all the little ones knew about the “cupboard” and they were never scolded but allowed to open, select and enjoy!!!

Mary grew up in a family where a tradition of poker and various card games was a regular entertainment for all. She continued this throughout her life and when she could not travel as easily, Tom came and they had a weekly poker game at her home, which she always looked forward to his visits. Although they would play for dimes and nickels, Mom was never shy about taking all of Tom’s money!!!

Mary was always supportive of all her children’s school activities, community activities and this extended with grandchildren as well. She was seen most every Friday night at the football game in Bastrop with her daughter, Gail. Rain or Shine, these ladies supported the team!!!

After the death of Mary’s husband-Roger, she lived with her daughter Cheryl and grandson, Sean. She enjoyed family parties at her son’s home and she helped plan parties with family at her Bastrop home. After some period of time, the progression of her Alzheimer’s robbed her of personal joy and Memories with her family. After her husband’s death, her daughter, Gail, died of cancer which seemed to accelerate the Alzheimer’s. Cheryl and Sean worked to allow her to have a quality of life at her home but this also changed in February 2015 when she had to move to the Lost Pines Nursing Home. They took excellent care of Mary and encouraged her in all areas.

Mary had the opportunity to meet Arthur her great grandson when Megan (Her Granddaughter) and Andy moved back to Bastrop in Dec. 2014. Mary continued living until May 28th when she left for Heaven about 12:43 pm and on the same day Megan had Mary’s 2nd great grandson Rowan at 1:11pm.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Roger Bernaiche, sister, Kitty Hooper, daughters, Donna Lamonde, Gail MacDonald, grandson, Tommy Lamonde. Mary is survived by her son, Thomas Lamonde and his wife Susan, daughter, Cheryl Bernaiche, step-daughter Patricia Day and her husband Neil, grandchildren, Billy Lamonde and his wife Christy, Sean MacDonald, Neil Day II, Megan Campbell and her husband Andy, great-grandsons, Arthur and Rowan Campbell and several nieces and nephews in Texas and Massachusetts.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association

in loving memory of Mary Bernaiche.

Visitation will be from 5pm to 7pm Saturday, May 30, 2015 at Marrs-Jones-Newby Funeral Home in Bastrop, Texas.

A Celebration of Mary’s Life will be at 2pm on Sunday, May 31, 2015 at Marrs-Jones-Newby Funeral Home.