Berniece Hill Wallin, 98, of St. Simons Island, Ga., died peacefully in her
sleep August 5 at Magnolia Manor on St. Simons Island.
She was born
January 17, 1911 at the home of her parents, Frank and Mary (Kelsoe) Hill,
near Chesterton, Ind.
She married
Herman Wallin and lived most of her life in Chesterton. Several years after
Heman’s death in 1975, she moved to St. Simons Island.
She is survived
by her daughter, Karen Price, of Western Springs, Ill. and her son, Ken
Walllin and his wife Judy, of St. Simons Island. She will be sorely missed
by her grandchildren Angela, Juliet and Scott Price, Brenda (Price) Moran,
Amy (Wallin) Smilovic and Leslie (Wallin) Durham. Her ten great
grandchildren will miss the stories she used to tell of what it was like to
ride a horse to school and live through the great depression.
Berniece was the
first of her family to graduate high school and when she was in her
twenties, she left the farm, bought a Model T and began a career in retail.
Later, as a pioneer of the modern woman, she became a buyer and managed the
fabric department for Smith Store in Chesterton. In addition, her creative
talents were put to good use as she dressed the store windows for many
years.
Berniece was a
master seamstress. She loved to sew for her family and herself, and took
great pride in the fashions she created. An avid pinochle and hearts player,
she was better known as “the card shark” to her grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. During the holidays, she would make Swedish potato
sausage and soft sugar cookies that everyone looked forward to. Berniece
loved arts and crafts and gave her most recent creations to her visitors at
Magnolia Manor. Her creative genes were passed on to her children,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren as art and design has become a major
part in many of their lives.
A memorial
service, Pastor Jane Aicher officiating, will be at noon Saturday, September
26 at Bethlehem Lutheran church, 2050 W. 1100N. Interment will follow at
Chesterton Cemetery.
The family
prefers memorials be given to VNA Horton Hospice Center, 501 Marquette St.,
Valparaiso, IN 46383.
Arrangements are
under the direction of White-Love Funeral Home, 525 S. 2nd Street,
Chesterton.
For information,
please call 926-1309.