Bernice Elizabeth Molich

Bernice Molich, nee Smith, lived a long and wonderful life, passing of natural causes at 102 years old. She was born in Fresno to Myrtle and Bruce Smith along with her twin brother Bruce Smith, Jr, and older sister, Doris. She graduated from Roosevelt High School where she was Queen of the Campus and Fresno State University with a degree in Piano and married her college sweetheart, FSU football star, Jim Molich, in 1944. The newlyweds moved to Norfolk VA shortly after their wedding.

They returned to Fresno for the birth of their daughter, Christine. In 1949 they moved to Guam and then to Hawaii while Jim was on active duty with the Navy. In 1952 they moved back to the mainland, settling in Santa Maria, CA for a year before returning once again to Fresno. Their second daughter, Lisa, was also born in Fresno.

Bea, as she was known to her friends, was a seamstress, making beautiful clothes for family and friends, as well as playing piano for sing-alongs at family gatherings. She also enjoyed doing a variety of needlepoint and other stitchery projects ranging from artwork to tea towels to pillowcases. Each family member has at least one afghan that she hand-knitted for them. For many years she played bridge and lunched with 3 close friends on a monthly basis. She also was a member of the ‘Stitch and Bitch’ club, a group of about 15 - 20 women who got together once a month to enjoy dessert, catch up on the latest gossip, and, maybe, sew or knit a little.

Bea and Jim also lived in Sacramento and Reedley before returning to Fresno a final time in1989. They traveled extensively, enjoying cruising through the South Pacific, Mexico, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand and touring through Europe for their 50th anniversary. Hawaii was a favorite spot and they visited there frequently. They were married for 63 years, until Jim’s passing in 2008.

Bea is survived by her two daughters, 3 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren.