Bernice Berquist Falls

Bernice (Berny) Berquist Falls was born in Saltville, Virginia to Marty and Mayo McIntyre on December 23, 1930. She lived in the mountains for 19 years and attended Anderson College from 1950-1951. On June 13, 1953 , she married Evangelist Maurice Berquist at Park Place Church of God in Anderson Indiana. They pastored in Dayton Beach Florida at the White Chapel Church of God for 21 years. Other homes included Anderson, Indiana, Seattle and Vancouver, Washington, Wichita, Kansas, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and finally back to her ancestral mountains of the Blue Ridge.

A late bloomer, Berny obtained her RN degree in 1973 and had her own ministry in caring for the sick and dying for nearly 40 years. She was a global traveler with her husband Berk and was known for her sense of humor, telling funny stories, the gift of creative writing, gourmet cooking, and making/giving her homemade bread.

Her husband Dr. Maurice Berquist passed away in 1993 while on a mission trip to India. She then embarked on a 9 year career traveling cross country as a private duty hospice nurse. She met Dr. Glenn Falls while in Anderson caring for a former Anderson College room-mate in 2001 and they were married on March 16, 2002. They made most of their time together traveling around the US and the world.

She will be missed by her two children, Marty Berquist (Donna) of Lenoir, North Carolina and Lori Berquist Perkins (Lynn) of Beaver City, Nebraska. Two grandchildren, Lauren Carrigan (Josh) of Fishers Indiana and Matthew Evans (Khloe) of Pendleton, Indiana. Four great grandsons, Caden and Carver Evans and Jeremiah and Jaden Carrigan. Surviving, a beloved sister Noby Hammond of Saltville Virginia, brother John MvIntyre of Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and a host of loving nieces and nephews. Also, the children of Glenn Falls, Carolyn Caldwell (Carl), and Barbara Schelstrate as well as extended family Eli Ervin, John, Jenny, Madelynn, and Reagan Moore. Proceeded in her death were her parents, husbands, two brothers, Woodrow and Gerald McIntyre, and a sister Lois Troutman.

The family would like to thank Amorem Hospice of the High Country and Caldwell County, as well as the excellent staff at Brookdale of Lenoir for their kind and compassionate care of Mom in her final chapter of life.

Graveside services will be at a date yet to be determined in Wichita, Kansas, at White Chapel Memorial Gardens.

Pendry's Lenoir Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Bernice Berquist Falls.