Eulogy in Memory of Mom                                                                                                       February 21, 2019 (PART 3)
Last Saturday Mom was embraced by the light of dawn as she transitioned peacefully. 
In the forest outside her bay window a mother dear and 6 offspring were bounding through a clearing in the trees. White tail wagging high, they gracefully moved towards us and then veered off to the right where they were in sideways in full. It was magical and clearly a sign that mom was on her way and in the Christ's light.  

Prayer for the Family:

Lord I wish I could stretch my arms to reach all of my children and embrace them.
I am aware of them where ever they are. The excitement, wonder and the pain of their lives are almost too much to comprehend.
I am so proud of them and so worried about them
I want to reach out and touch them and hold them in my arms again.
Since I can't have them, You who are everywhere, reach them for me and keep them safe in the shelter of your love and mercy.  Amen  

Namaste
Nancy






Eulogy in Memory of Mom                                                                                                       February 21, 2019 (PART 2)

Music was mom...so essential to her well being; she played piano by ear, danced ballroom with dad & friends in the community, taught line dancing with the seniors, tap danced & in recitals. She just loved to be in the spot light. At the height of her fame, she was the Senior Prom Queen with boyfriend, Emile, at her side. 
Her love for music had a profound affect on her youngest grandchild. At an early age, Nora heard a piece that inspired her to take piano lessons. She is pursuing a full music career at Ithaca College in NY.  Mom was so very proud of her. She plays beautifully.

She loved flower gardening and listening to the symphony of bird song that emanated from the trees in her surroundings. Daily she sat for hours at the kitchen table “painting” in her coloring books and writing prayers in between the pages. She had an eye for color, loved green and would sneak in a purple flower among all the reds or add something unusual that one would miss if not looking closely. 
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Eulogy in Memory of Mom                                                                                                       February 21, 2019 (PART 1)


At the center of mom's universe was pure LOVE. Gentle, compassionate, ambitious, talented, creative, fun-loving, generous...the qualities go on.  

Mom was a devoted wife, and mother of six who loved unconditionally. She touched the hearts and minds of many. A devout Christian, she attended church services every week and was active in various church groups including teaching Catechism for many years. In the later years, when unable to go to church, she would listen to mass on TV while our Eucharist Ministers, Bud or Yvonne, would come to administer the consecrated host in her home.

Growing up, her home was like Grand Central Station with family members, friends, neighbors coming and going. Sunlight spilled into every room of the home which made it warm, bright and cheerful. Over the field in front of her home we'd see half circle rainbows or gorgeous sunsets. During the summer months after dark, we could hear a large pack of coyotes howling deep from that field. It was alive and they knew a good thing. There was no wonder why she didn't want to leave her home.  Many hours were spent at the dining room table and in the living room where she would tell us stories of her childhood, about her mom, Mimi, and her blind father, Solomon, who played the violin. She was very close to her sisters, Louise and Lily. Our families still gather year after year. Both mom and Lily emphasized family importance and togetherness. 

Mom loved all the animals & especially dogs. She had a childhood dog named Queenie who she adored. In these last few years she would say that all the dogs in the family history (that's Peppy, Jeff, Gus, Jake, Grace, Cody, Axle and Rocket) were descendants of her. We 'd go along with her and say oh how interesting!
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Grama Rita will be in our hearts forever. She was an inspiration to many, so generous and so kind. She was so talented at playing piano, dancing, painting, and cooking, among other things. It is my greatest hope that she is reunited with family and friends that have passed before her. Flying on my way home, I had a vision that she was dancing in the clouds with her sisters and husband, smiling and healthy. I hope she is surrounded by eternal peace and the presence of the Lord that she loved so much. 

Dear Family,
Your Mom was one of those people that it was a sheer delight to know.  I had the pleasure of being one of her friends.  She, two friends and I traveled to the Canadian Rockies together.  Shortly after we toured Spain and Portugal.  She was an amazing traveling partner.  She was also a  dynamite Charlemagne player...….we played all the way through Western Europe.  What fun.   I first met Rita when I was about 10 years old.  She had come to visit her sister, Louise, in Keegan, Maine.  We lived next door to Louise.  Rita was getting ready to marry your Dad and she was so excited.  We have kept in touch all our lives.  I think of her every time we are served Pecan Pie......she LOVED Pecan Pie as I did.  She was a beautiful delightful person.  I will miss you, my friend, Rita.
Much sympathy to the family that she loved so much.            Joan (Gagnon) Martin

Nancy and Family. Please accept my sincere condolences on the loss of your Mother. A fond memory that I have of her, was being in the kitchen with her, waiting for Nancy. There were so many kids coming and going and it was so loud but she just stood there smiling. Me coming from a small family was just overwhelmed and she was just smiling. I will never forget that. God bless all of you at this time.

Nancy and family, Our condolences go out to all of you. Rita will always have a special place in my heart. I will miss giving a hug snuggle.  Her smile just made my heart smile. Rita is at peace and flying high. My she Rest In Peace. 

Calling Hours 

Mass of Christian Burial

Soloman Thibodeau & Odelie Beaulieu

John L. Bernaiche

Rachel Vanderweele and her husband Daniel, Mona Bernaiche and her husband William Bedel, Nancy Bernaiche, John Bernaiche, Paul Bernaiche and his wife Kathleen, and Wayne Bernaiche and his wife Gail

OBITUARY

Rita F. Bernaiche

December 3, 1924 – February 16, 2019

Newkirk & Whitney Funeral Home

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