Anna Bernice Williams

105, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2014. Born August 11, 1908 in Denver, Colorado. Known to all as Bernice, and to her grandchildren as Nana, she was born in Denver, Colorado where she lived her entire 105 years. She was the only child of Emma (Gams) Haworth and John Retalia. As a teenager she began working for Hammond’s Candy Factory, and later opened her own store, Bernice’s Fine Candies. She was a well-known chocolate dipper and knew how to please her discerning clientele with the finest chocolates in Denver for over 30 years. She was married to Fred Wilcox, then Mel Block. While running her own business, she raised three children, Dick, Ronnie and Jeannine with help from her beloved mother, Gams. Her last husband, Tom Williams, was her constant companion, and lovingly referred to her as “Twee-Twa”. Over the years he helped with the store, and then transitioned her into retirement after she sold her store. It was painful for her to lose Tom, but she kept her Balsam Street house until she was 95. She gracefully accepted her move to Porter Place, and then Brookshire House; even then she was still very slow to show signs of aging. She maintained her signature blonde hair until she was well over 100, and had beautiful skin, lacking wrinkles even at age 105. She muttered one of her favorite lines, “Oh, dear God…” only days before her passing.

She is survived by two sons; Richard E. Block, and Ronald Leon (Alma) Block, daughter Jeannine Marie (Larry) Sweet, grandchildren; Deanna (Richard) Schnatterly, Linda (Ernest) Zonneveld, Marcia (James) Lindeberg, George (Laurel) Block, David (Tomoko) Sweet, Heather (John) Lawton, and Daniel (Valerie) Block, also 14 great grandchildren; Grace, Grant, Ava, Ella, Taylor, Claire, Reid, Jordan, Mary, Abbey, Reili, Tetsia, Anne, and Zoe.