Alta Bernice Thiel

Alta Bernice Thiel entered into eternal rest on November 26, 2015 at the age of 100 years. She was born August 2, 1915, in San Antonio, Texas to Alonzo F. and Ollia Vines Ford. Bernice graduated from South San High School in 1933 and attended Draughn’s Business College. She moved to Austin, Texas and worked for an attorney. She met her future husband, Samuel Thiel, while in Austin and they married on June 30, 1940. After their marriage they resided in San Antonio. They had four children and Bernice devoted many years to raising her family until the death of her husband in June 1966. She then returned to work fulltime and held a variety of positions including working as a library technician at the University of Texas at Austin. Later on she worked as a nanny and volunteered as a Foster Grandparent at University Hospital and was active in her church assisting in the print shop.

Besides family, she had a passion for gardening and loved having pets as part of the household. She also enjoyed music, especially classical, and the arts in general.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Samuel H. Thiel; granddaughter, Jamin Leigh Armstrong; and son James A. Thiel, and is survived by her son, Samuel Thiel, Jr., Berlin, Germany; daughters Jean Hays (Kelly Hays), San Antonio, Texas and Alexandra Miller, Fredericksburg, Texas. Grandchildren Jillian Simmang, Austin, Texas; Andrea Craghead, Rubidoux, California; Jessica Thiel-Davis, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Tarah Armstrong-Miller, San Antonio, Texas; Alyssa Gwendolyn Thiel, Toronto, Canada. She was also blessed with great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, December 4, 2015 at 2pm at Sunset Memorial Park, 1701 Austin Highway, San Antonio, Texas. In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations be made to Service Dogs, Inc., 4925 Bell Springs Road, Dripping Springs, Texas 78620. www.servicedogs.org . SDI provides service animals to hearing and physically disabled individuals at no charge.