Chris was born in Zell, Germany, on August 19, 1933. She had happy memories of her early childhood in the Mosel River Valley. But later in her childhood, her memories were ones of bombings and hunger during WWII.
She moved to the U. S. in the 1950s and became a naturalized citizen in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 7, 1958.
Chris worked as a travel agent, doctor’s office receptionist, and retail clerk. But her first love was always travel. She crossed the Atlantic Ocean five times on ocean liners including the QE2, cruised to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Alaska, and journeyed extensively in Europe and the U. S. She was fluent in German, English, and French, and conversant in several other languages.
She lived in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Florida before settling in Roswell, Georgia, for the last 33 years. There, she became the de facto mother of her special needs grandson, Nicholas.
Chris was exceptionally sweet and outgoing with a warm smile. You could tell when she was happy: she sang to herself. But she could be tenacious and tough, too, especially when she wanted to accomplish something. Her compassion for others—not only people, but animals, as well—frequently overflowed. She became a member of Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church of Johns Creek, Georgia, in 1990.
She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Harold W. “Buzz” Bernard, her daughter Vicky Diana Dracos of Alpharetta, Georgia, and her grandson Nicholas Andrew Dracos, Roswell. Her son, Steven Paul Dracos, predeceased her in 1995.
In memory of Christina, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Foundation. A memorial service will be held at some point in the future once the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
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