OBITUARY Bernice Thomas October 6, 1939 – August 31, 2018 Play Tribute Movie Bernice Thomas was born on October 6, 1939 in Washington, D.C. At the age of six, she and her family settled in Brooklyn, NY, where she spent her time as a child and teenager. Bernice passed away in Wichita, KS on Friday afternoon, August 31, 2018. She was preceded in death by her twin baby brothers, her sister Hattie Mae Paige, her brother Booker J. Amaker and her mother Martha Amaker.
She is survived by her husband Joseph Thomas, her four sons Joseph Thomas Jr.(wife – Jeri), Shawn Thomas of San Diego, CA, Gavin Thomas, and Tim Thomas. Her granddaughter Adrianna Seward (husband – Justin), and two great granddaughters Olivia and Chloe, and her sister Peggy Redd of New Brunswick, NJ, as well as a host of other relatives and friends. Bernice came from humble beginnings.
Her mother was a single parent who worked very hard to support herself and her family. Bernice learned the importance of family values from her mother and carried those strong values with her for her entire life. After graduating from high school, she worked for Grossman Clothier on 5th Avenue operating business machines and issuing checks to their suppliers.
She would walk to and from the subway station. During one of her walks, in early 1957, she passed in front of a dry cleaners where she caught the eye of a handsome Virginia farm boy who recently moved to Brooklyn to manage one of his aunt’s businesses. Joseph (Joe) asked a young boy who did errands for the cleaners to deliver a message to this pretty young girl that he wanted to meet her.
She said she didn’t talk to strangers and the message came back to her that if she told him her name, they would no longer be strangers. Soon thereafter they started to date and as things started to get serious, Joe was drafted to serve in the armed forces and chose to join the Air Force. After basic training in Texas, Joe returned to take Bernice with him to his new assignment at Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, LA.
They were married January 14, 1958. Their first son, Joe Jr., was born while on a trip to visit family in Brooklyn in the fall of that year. This young family moved to Wichita, KS where Joe was assigned to McConnell AFB .
Their family continued to grow with the births of Shawn, then Gavin and finally Tim. Bernice loved her family deeply and cared for her boys and husband like a mother hen. She loved being a homemaker and embraced her responsibilities as a wife and mother.
In 1959, Bernice met her neighbor, Doris Dozier. They immediately made a connection and she volunteered to watch Doris’ children while Doris went to the store. Doris then asked Bernice if she studied the Bible and scheduled a time for her and her husband Billy to visit Joe and Bernice.
Joe and Bernice enjoyed what they learned from the Bible and started to study with the Doziers, who were Jehovah’s Witnesses. Joe and Bernice were baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses in the early 1960’s and became a part of a worldwide family of millions. They became a part of the local congregation and over the decades made close friends with many from surrounding congregations.
Bernice was never too shy to confess her faith and to help others learn the truth about Jehovah God and his son Jesus. She rarely missed an opportunity to witness in some form or fashion to those she interacted with on a daily basis. Bernice was the quintessential conversationalist, a nice way of saying she loved to talk.
Everyone who knew her said she immediately engaged them on their first encounter and wanted to know about them and their family and would not forget any of the details. Bernice loved to dance and enjoyed music of various genres. She and her husband enjoyed gardening and canning their produce and sharing it with others.
Finally, her son gave her one of her greatest joys, a baby granddaughter named Adrianna, and they spent many happy hours together, including being the perfect tea party partners. As time passed this special girl brought Bernice two more precious presents, great granddaughters Olivia and Chloe. She spent many happy times watching them thrive and play.
Even though the family was of humble means, they always found something to share materially or spiritually with others. In doing so she gained many spiritual “children”. We would like to thank everyone who has shared in encouraging her during these final months of her illness.
She felt your love and always appreciated your words and prayers.
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