1929
2013
Bernice Irene Tramp Behrend was born in LaGrange, Texas on November 06, 1929. Her parents were Gus & Lenora Tramp. She grew up in Rabbs Prairie, a small community near LaGrange. Bernice attended schools in Rabbs Prairie and Smithville.
As a small child she worked on the family farm picking cotton. Her dad paid them for picking cotton, but then they had to spend their money on shoes and clothes for school from the Sears & Roebuck Catalog.
Bernice taught herself to sew at an early age. She made dresses from flour and feed sacks. At the age of 16 she made her friend Lorine Vogel's wedding dress. She moved to Austin with family friends who owned a restaurant where she worked as a waitress. In 1946 she went to work at the Texas State Hospital in Austin, where she met the love of her life, Willie Darrell who was also employed there.
Darrell and Bernice were married on February 21, 1948 at the Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. She wore a white wool suit with black accessories. Darrell had to borrow $20.oo to pay the preacher and borrow a car for the honeymoon.
In 1965 they moved to Smithville. Bernice worked part-time at Gindlers' Department Store, sewed for the public, and did babysitting. She enjoyed sewing for her daughters and later for her granddaughters. She made prom dresses and bridesmaid dresses for their weddings. She was an extraordinary seamstress and also enjoyed quilting.
In addition to her sewing, she enjoyed working the concessions at Bingo on Tuesdays and Fridays. She was a member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary.
Bernice was confirmed November 05, 1944 at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Prairie Valley and later became a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Smithville.
Bernice is preceded in death by her loving husband of 65 years Willie Darrell, her parents Gus and Lenore Tramp, and sister Carolyn.
She is survived by her sister Esther Hoskins, her brother Gus (Sonny) Tramp Jr., brother-in-law August Weisner, brother-in-law Guy Wolf and wife Carol, her three children Donna (Daniel) Kadlecek, Dale Behrend (friend Karol), and Nancy (Billy) Vydrzal, her six grandchildren Stanley (Gloria) Vydrzal, Tracy (Doug) Johnson, Dana (Pat) Goertz, Doug (Amber) Vydrzal, Christy Smith, and Dusty (friend Cody) Kadlecek, and twelve great-grand children, Dylan, Kylie, and Kinsey Goertz, Seth and Connor Vydrzal, Alyssa and Caden Smith, Alex, Abby, and Emmy Johnson, Dax and Vivian Vydrzal.
Contributions may be made to the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary or the Grace Lutheran Church of Smithville in loving memory of Bernice I. Behrend.
Visitation will be from 5pm to 8pm Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at Marrs-Jones-Funeral Home, Smithville, Texas.
Funeral Service will be 10am Thursday, September 12, 2013 at Grace Lutheran Church of Smithville, Texas with burial following at McDade Cemetery in McDade Texas.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
1 Entry
September 11, 2013
Debbie Hampton
Bernice will Dearly be missed by many. God Bless her & Comfort her family.
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Funeral services provided by:
Marrs-Jones Funeral Home, All Faiths of the Pines Chapel110 American Legion Rd, Smithville, TX 78957
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