Bernice Kizzar

Bernice Kizzar, née Gray, was born to Mary K. (Thompson) and Charles F. Gray in Memphis, Tennessee, August 20, 1925. She was the fifth of eleven children. Growing up on a farm, she and her siblings worked alongside their parents, helping out wherever needed.

During WWII she worked in a munitions factory and afterwards at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Club. She took the opportunity to move her family to California in 1959. Later, on her own, she bought her house in 1976, paid it off, and lived there independently until she was 90.

Her boys, Paul and Jerry, grew into fine men who put their families first. Paulette and Janette, Bernice’s first granddaughters, had cystic fibrosis. Bernice relished the special role that only a “grandma” can fill, one of a confidante and an advocate. Paulette and Janette held a special place in her heart and her body will be resting in peace by theirs.

Bernice loved attending Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa beginning in the early 1970’s during the Jesus People movement. She always sat with her friends on the left-hand side of the church to listen to Pastor Chuck teach God’s Word. She was very involved with the 50+ Group and made life-long friends there, including the “Merry Widows”. At Maranatha Christian Academy, Bernice volunteered her time to serve in the Hot Lunchroom. In her daughter-in-law, Dianne’s classroom, she was a valuable help in preparation for the new school year and Open House.

She had a strong work ethic which she passed on to her sons and future generations. She retired from George Francis Interiors in 1990, happy to end decades of getting up at 4am. She was now ready to do all the travelling she had been working for – going to Hawaii with Paul and Annette, back to the South to visit her family, to Washington State to visit Marianne, Ben and the girls and to England, France, Switzerland to visit Jonna and Karl and the girls. All of this in addition to her extensive travels with her friends from her 50+ group.

Not only did she have a close relationship with her four grand-daughters Paulette, Janette, Jonna and Marianne, letting them stay up late and have coffee long before it was trendy, but she was also close to her 6 great-granddaughters Lauren, Zoe, Bella, Kayleigh, Sophie and Prim. She made sure they had dolls and pretty dresses when they were little, and money for a college education when they’re older. They were the joy of her life.

Bernice is preceded in death by her parents and all her siblings: Charles “Frank” and Velma Gray Jr., Ruby (Gray) and Milton Decanter, Louise Ann (Gray) and Clifford Holson, Mamie “Sue” (Gray) and Phil Luna, Alfred H. Gray, Mable E. (Gray) and Jack Branum, Major J. Gray, Billy Ray and Margaret Gray, Roy C. and Opal Gray, and Jerry M. Gray. Also by her granddaughters, Paulette M. Kizzar and Janette L. Kizzar-Paddock.

Bernice died peacefully in her sleep on 11 April 2019 after a few years of ill health. At 93, she lived a full and blessed life, one that she lived out with faith in God, hard work, savings and dedication. She dearly loved her family, son Paul, Annette, Paulette Kizzar and Janette Kizzar-Paddock, and son, Jerry and Dianne Dotson, Jonna (Dotson) and Karl, Lauren, Zoe, Kayleigh Gill, Marianne (Dotson) Ben, Bella, Sophie and Prim Bourland, and her nieces and nephews, and of course, all her dear friends. She was much loved and will be missed enormously.