Bernice Marie Coggins Owens

April 27, 1916 in Bay County near Pinconning, Michigan. She moved to Flint, Ml in 1922

and graduated as valedictorian from St. Mary's School in Flint in the class of 1934.

OWENS, Bernice Marie (Coggins) - daughter of Allie and Mabel (Hill) Coggins, was born

April 27, 1916 in Bay County near Pinconning, Michigan. She moved to Flint, Ml in 1922

and graduated as valedictorian from St. Mary's School in Flint in the class of 1934.

Bernice attended school at G.M.I. in Flint until hired at G.M. Fisher Body #1 on S.

Saginaw St. in the budget department. She married John Christopher Owens at St. Mary

Catholic Church in Flint on May 7, 1938. She gave birth to five children, Rev. Bernard J.

Owens, SJ of Manresa Retreat Center in Bloomfield Hills, Ml; John Christopher Owens Jr.

(deceased); Mary Kathleen (Charlie) Dietrich of Northport, Ml; Patrick D. (Ellen) Owens of

Radford, Virginia and John Thomas Owens of Atlanta, GA. She is also survived by ten

grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Bernice was a member of St. John

Vianney Catholic Church. She volunteered twenty years at the north-end soup kitchen.

Served for St. Joseph Hospital auxiliary and made baby layettes for Covenant Hospital in

Saginaw, Ml. Bernice was one of nine children, brother Charles, sisters Alice Coggins,

Mary Ryan-Romano, Polly Simko-Schleff, Rose Anna Rhodes, Helen June Orr and

Patricia Ann Hudson, all deceased. She has one surviving brother, Michael J. (Betty) Coggins of

Grand Blanc, Ml. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Saturday,

March 19, 2011 at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 2415 Bagley St., Flint, MI. The

family will receive visitors one hour before, with a luncheon being served after the service.

Arrangements by the Brown Funeral Home at 1480 E. Hill Rd., Grand Blanc, MI. Memorial

contributions may be sent to St. John Vianney School, Flint, Ml. Condolences may be left

on-line at www.brownfh.com