age 98, passed away peacefully on February 1, 2019, after suffering many years of dementia and declining health. She was born in Goltry, Oklahoma, on December 30, 1920, to Charles and Gladys Hopkins. During her long lifetime, Berenice witnessed the transformation of the country from the agrarian Midwest of the early 20th Century to the modern Information Age. Growing up in the Dust Bowl days of the Great Depression sparked a life of thrifty and modest living. While her family struggled to provide the essentials of life, they also provided her access to classical music and fine literature. She was an accomplished pianist, and she passed her love of music to her children. Although she was valedictorian of her high school class and loved to learn, she was not able to go to college. she believed strongly in the value of education and provided the means for her four children to attend college. To do this, she returned to work as a secretary at John Sexton Company after many years as a homemaker and raising her children.
One could label Berenice as an example of what is known as “The Greatest Generation”, always working on a project, or simply working to provide for her family. After moving to Orlando in 1959, she became an active member of the community, serving as a parent volunteer at her children’s schools, and as Scout leader for their troops. A long-time member of John Calvin Presbyterian Church, she volunteered there after her retirement. She was also active in several bridge clubs, including the highly competitive Retired Martin-Marietta Employees club.
Preceded in death by her husband, Eldon Lamar Yarian, Berenice is survived by her four children: Janice Preston, Patricia Biron, Eldon, Jr. (Skip), Susan Yarian, and her three granddaughters: Julia Biron, Francesca Buzzi, and Zoe Buzzi.
A celebration of Berenice’s life will be held at Noah’s Event Center, 720 Currency Circle in Lake Mary, Florida, on March 10, 2019, at 1:00pm. Contact Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Home in Altamonte Springs for further details. In lieu of flowers, you may donate to The Alzheimer’s Association or The American Cancer Society in her name.
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