Bernice F. Roe

September 25, 1921 – July 29, 2014

Bernice Fox Roe, fondly known as Mormor to her children and grandchildren, passed away peacefully at her home in San Jose, California in the presence of her children, Sharon and Bruce, and her grandson, JT Roe, on the evening of July 29, 2014.

Bernice was born in St. Ansgar, Iowa and grew up on a farm just outside of town. She attended Drake University for two years and was active in her sorority, Alpha Xi Delta. She married Robert Roe in 1942 before he joined the service. Bernice followed him to various bases in the US before he shipped out to the Pacific and she then went off to Chicago to work in bookkeeping for the duration of the war. When Bob returned following the war, they continued to live in Chicago where their first child, Sharon, was born. Not long afterward they moved to California where Bernice’s sister, Clarice, lived with her husband, Kyle. Bob worked in jewelry and aerospace jobs as the family expanded to include Steven and Bruce for a total of three children.

Bernice was a homemaker extraordinaire and loving mother. She enjoyed various handicrafts and liked to travel. She especially enjoyed visiting her mother’s native Norway and even took classes in Norwegian for years to be prepared to meet her relatives. Over the years, she always loved to travel “home” to Iowa with her children when they were young so that they could all spend time with family and experience the Iowa farm and small town life.

She was also an exceptional grandmother to Sharon’s daughters, Nicole and Lisa, and Bruce’s sons, JT, Justin, and Daniel. It was then that Bernice took on the nickname, Mormor, which is Norwegian for grandmother. Eventually, great grandchildren were added to the family as Nicole gave birth to Megan and Garrett Arnold and Lisa gave birth to Kyla and Carson Cummings.

Bernice and Bob lived in the same house in West Los Angeles for over 50 years before moving to San Jose to be near Sharon as their health began to deteriorate. She was fortunate to be able to pass away at home. She was predeceased by her husband, Bob and her son, Steven.

Anyone wishing to make donations should do so to their favorite charity. Services will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery on Sat. August 16, 2014.