Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with funeral services following at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 26, 2018 at Memorial Funeral Home. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Bernice was born on July 22, 1923 in Columbia, MO to Bingham Wood and Emma Azelle (Richardson) Cunningham. She was a Hickman High Kewpie and can remember watching the Cancer Hospital being built from one of her classes. She met the love of her life, RB, at a local skating rink and they were married in 1941. The proposal happened like this, which is in my Mom’s words…RB was off work with a doctor’s appointment and saw me downtown on Broadway. He came over and asked if I wanted to get married, and of course I said, “I guess.” So we found two friends to stand up with us and headed to Boonville, which was close to midnight before we got there. We didn’t know where a preacher lived, but saw a guy on Main Street and he told us where he lived. Knocked on the door, he answered in his pajamas and agreed to marry us after he changed into his robe. They were married happily ever after for 75 years. Bernice would always reminisce about this story every time she was on Broadway.
Bernice enjoyed bowling in a ladies morning league at Town & Country Lanes for over 40
years and was a pretty good bowler. She and RB enjoyed camping, antique shopping and attending auctions for many years. After RB passed away in August 2016, she moved from their home on Parkade where they lived for 60 years, to an apartment in the country to be close to her daughter and family. She was always fascinated by all the traffic and big trucks on the highway and the beautiful sky.
She leaves her legacy to daughter, Susan (Pete) Kemper, grandchildren, Shana (Chad) Martin, Matthew McGlasson; and great granddaughter Lauren Martin. Also missing her is Pete and Susan’s dog Pepper who made regular visits to keep her company.
Bernice was preceded in death by her parents, sister, and many, many friends and relatives.
The family would like to sincerely thank those who cared for her at Bluff Creek Terrace and Boone Hospital. Contributions may be made to the Central Missouri Honor Flight, 1400 Forum Blvd, Suite 1C, Columbia, MO 65203.
