GILL, Bernice (Vorhes, Berk) 1941-2015
GILL, VORHES, MILLOY, BERK
Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 10/27/2015 at 13:07:51
Bernice Vorhes Gill - Marble Rock
The first of four children of Vern and Irene (Milloy) Vorhes, Bernice Maude Vorhes was born December 15, 1941, in Marble Rock, Iowa, and died October 25, 2015, at the Nora Springs Care Center, in Nora Springs, Iowa.
Memorial service will be held 7:00 pm, Monday, November 2, at the Marble Rock United Methodist Church, with Pastor Judy Wooton presiding. The family will receive guests one hour before services at the church. A time of fellowship will follow the service at the church.
Bernice grew up on a farm northeast of Marble Rock. She received her education at the Marble Rock Public School and graduated in 1959 from the Rockford Senior High School in Rockford, Iowa.
She was united in marriage to Jerry Lane Berk at the Marble Rock United Methodist Church in Marble Rock. They were blessed with two children.
Bernice worked in the office at Oliver Farm Equipment Company, until 1969 when they moved to Dallas, Texas where she attended Dallas Fashion merchandising college. Upon graduation she began working for a fashion design company in Dallas.
Being farm folks at heart Jerry and Bernie moved the family out of the city to a 90 acre Texas ranch northeast of Dallas. Where she had her son building fences and planting pecan trees before the couple that sold the house could move out. She loved riding horses out to see her heard of Charolais cattle.
Bernice changed career paths from fashion to truck driver in the mid 70's. After attending truck driving school she hopped in an 18 wheeler and never looked back. Driving long haul loads to the east coast from Texas from the mid 70's until about 1998 with her then husband Harry (Lonnie) Gill. Bernie driving at night and Lonnie during the day the team logged millions of miles. Still enjoying the Texas ranch on the few days off between loads tending the cattle and flowers. Lonnie decided that he'd had enough driving and retired from trucking in the late 90's.
Bernice's love of trucking kept her on the road until she took a break in 2007 when she enrolled in Windemere Institute of Healing Arts in Decorah, Iowa, where she learned Massage Therapy, Reiki, Aromatherapy, and other natural healing practices. She used many of the techniques learned at Windemere as well as her extensive knowledge of essential oils in caring for her mother until her passing in Dec. 2010.
Not yet ready to retire, she went back on the road where she was most at home, driving until October 31, 2013, when she suffered a major stroke near Tulsa, Oklahoma. Having lost right side mobility and speech to the stroke she worked her way back to walking and caring for a lot of her own needs. In April of 2015 she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Bernice is survived by her two children, Vern Berk of Rockwell and Lynn (Dan) Kingery of Marble Rock; six grandchildren Mitchell Berk, Matthew (Heather) Berk, Melissa Smith, Megan, Abigail and Darrin Kingery; one sister, Jean (Dale) Westendorf, two brothers Pete (Marcia) Vorhes and Bill (Judy) Vorhes all of Marble Rock.
She was preceded in death by her parents Vern and Irene Vorhes and nephew Terrance Heft.
Those planning an expression of sympathy my direct memorials to the Bernice Gill Memorial fund at P.O. 5, Marble Rock, IA 50653. The family will be making a donation to Hospice of North Iowa who provided comfort and care to Bernice during the last few months of her life.
Source: Retz Funeral Home website. 11/1/2015
Floyd Obituaries maintained by LaVern Velau.
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