On Thursday, November 2, 2006, Bernice J. Gillies, 77, after a valiant struggle with Parkinson's Disease, died from complications, and assisted by the angels was welcomed into the waiting, loving arms of family and friends who went before her.
Bernice was born on January 4, 1929 to Thomas and Marguerite Leveille in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. After graduation from St. Bonsucor Academy in Montreal, Bernice moved to Battle Creek, Michigan when her father received a job promotion with the Grand Trunk Railway System.
While in Battle Creek, Bernice received her United States citizenship, and although she lived most of her adult life in the Southern part of the United States, she always referred to herself as a "Damn Yankee". Also while in Battle Creek, Bernice met Clifford P. Roach. They were united in marriage on September 8, 1951. While married to Clifford, Bernice lived for four years in Germany at Randstul AFB. In 1959, she moved to Abilene. Bernice and Clifford had four children.
While in Abilene, Bernice met Mark J. Gillies, III, and was united in marriage to him on September 15, 1967. During her marriage to Mark, Bernice lived in Montgomery, Alabama and Biloxi, Mississippi while he was in the U. S. Air Force. In 1978, they settled back in Abilene, where she lived until her passing. Mark and Bernice had one child.
Bernice was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Thomas Roach; her husband, Mark; and her grandson, Joshua Wilson.
Bernice is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Owen and Sandy Roach; daughter and son-in-law, Eileen (Roach-Wilson) and Roy Alldread; son, Patrick Roach; and son and daughter-in-law, Mark J. Gillies, IV and Brenda. She is also survived by grandchildren, Stacey Baldwin and husband, Russell, Samantha Lindsay, Liz Wilson, Siobhan Lindsay and Thomas Roach, Stephen and Logan Gillies, Jeff Alldread, Robert Alldread, and Nicole (Alldred) Roach: great-grandchildren, Lexie Mata, Clara Rodriguez, Reid Baldwin, Dylan Skjold and David Rouen; and her surrogate family, Tom and Jane Fischer and their children, Joshua, Caleb, Maleah and Chrisi.
Bernice will truly be missed by her family who will remember her as a wonderful mother and grandmother, and as a true friend to those who knew her. Through all the adversity, struggles and sorrow, she never lost her sense of humor. She often said, "if you ever give up your sense of humor, you may as well curl up in a ball in the corner and let life pass on by."
Bernice was a longtime member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Chapel at Dyess AFB.
Funeral services will be 9 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Grace Chapel at Dyess Air Force Base. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 5701 Hwy 277 South. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home followed by a rosary.
Bernice was born on January 4, 1929 to Thomas and Marguerite Leveille in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. After graduation from St. Bonsucor Academy in Montreal, Bernice moved to Battle Creek, Michigan when her father received a job promotion with the Grand Trunk Railway System.
While in Battle Creek, Bernice received her United States citizenship, and although she lived most of her adult life in the Southern part of the United States, she always referred to herself as a "Damn Yankee". Also while in Battle Creek, Bernice met Clifford P. Roach. They were united in marriage on September 8, 1951. While married to Clifford, Bernice lived for four years in Germany at Randstul AFB. In 1959, she moved to Abilene. Bernice and Clifford had four children.
While in Abilene, Bernice met Mark J. Gillies, III, and was united in marriage to him on September 15, 1967. During her marriage to Mark, Bernice lived in Montgomery, Alabama and Biloxi, Mississippi while he was in the U. S. Air Force. In 1978, they settled back in Abilene, where she lived until her passing. Mark and Bernice had one child.
Bernice was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Thomas Roach; her husband, Mark; and her grandson, Joshua Wilson.
Bernice is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Owen and Sandy Roach; daughter and son-in-law, Eileen (Roach-Wilson) and Roy Alldread; son, Patrick Roach; and son and daughter-in-law, Mark J. Gillies, IV and Brenda. She is also survived by grandchildren, Stacey Baldwin and husband, Russell, Samantha Lindsay, Liz Wilson, Siobhan Lindsay and Thomas Roach, Stephen and Logan Gillies, Jeff Alldread, Robert Alldread, and Nicole (Alldred) Roach: great-grandchildren, Lexie Mata, Clara Rodriguez, Reid Baldwin, Dylan Skjold and David Rouen; and her surrogate family, Tom and Jane Fischer and their children, Joshua, Caleb, Maleah and Chrisi.
Bernice will truly be missed by her family who will remember her as a wonderful mother and grandmother, and as a true friend to those who knew her. Through all the adversity, struggles and sorrow, she never lost her sense of humor. She often said, "if you ever give up your sense of humor, you may as well curl up in a ball in the corner and let life pass on by."
Bernice was a longtime member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Chapel at Dyess AFB.
Funeral services will be 9 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Grace Chapel at Dyess Air Force Base. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 5701 Hwy 277 South. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home followed by a rosary.
On Thursday, November 2, 2006, Bernice J. Gillies, 77, after a valiant struggle with Parkinson's Disease, died from complications, and assisted by the angels was welcomed into the waiting, loving arms of family and friends who went before her.
Bernice was born on January 4, 1929 to Thomas and Marguerite Leveille in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. After graduation from St. Bonsucor Academy in Montreal, Bernice moved to Battle Creek, Michigan when her father received a job promotion with the Grand Trunk Railway System.
While in Battle Creek, Bernice received her United States citizenship, and although she lived most of her adult life in the Southern part of the United States, she always referred to herself as a "Damn Yankee". Also while in Battle Creek, Bernice met Clifford P. Roach. They were united in marriage on September 8, 1951. While married to Clifford, Bernice lived for four years in Germany at Randstul AFB. In 1959, she moved to Abilene. Bernice and Clifford had four children.
While in Abilene, Bernice met Mark J. Gillies, III, and was united in marriage to him on September 15, 1967. During her marriage to Mark, Bernice lived in Montgomery, Alabama and Biloxi, Mississippi while he was in the U. S. Air Force. In 1978, they settled back in Abilene, where she lived until her passing. Mark and Bernice had one child.
Bernice was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Thomas Roach; her husband, Mark; and her grandson, Joshua Wilson.
Bernice is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Owen and Sandy Roach; daughter and son-in-law, Eileen (Roach-Wilson) and Roy Alldread; son, Patrick Roach; and son and daughter-in-law, Mark J. Gillies, IV and Brenda. She is also survived by grandchildren, Stacey Baldwin and husband, Russell, Samantha Lindsay, Liz Wilson, Siobhan Lindsay and Thomas Roach, Stephen and Logan Gillies, Jeff Alldread, Robert Alldread, and Nicole (Alldred) Roach: great-grandchildren, Lexie Mata, Clara Rodriguez, Reid Baldwin, Dylan Skjold and David Rouen; and her surrogate family, Tom and Jane Fischer and their children, Joshua, Caleb, Maleah and Chrisi.
Bernice will truly be missed by her family who will remember her as a wonderful mother and grandmother, and as a true friend to those who knew her. Through all the adversity, struggles and sorrow, she never lost her sense of humor. She often said, "if you ever give up your sense of humor, you may as well curl up in a ball in the corner and let life pass on by."
Bernice was a longtime member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Chapel at Dyess AFB.
Funeral services will be 9 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Grace Chapel at Dyess Air Force Base. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 5701 Hwy 277 South. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home followed by a rosary.
Bernice was born on January 4, 1929 to Thomas and Marguerite Leveille in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. After graduation from St. Bonsucor Academy in Montreal, Bernice moved to Battle Creek, Michigan when her father received a job promotion with the Grand Trunk Railway System.
While in Battle Creek, Bernice received her United States citizenship, and although she lived most of her adult life in the Southern part of the United States, she always referred to herself as a "Damn Yankee". Also while in Battle Creek, Bernice met Clifford P. Roach. They were united in marriage on September 8, 1951. While married to Clifford, Bernice lived for four years in Germany at Randstul AFB. In 1959, she moved to Abilene. Bernice and Clifford had four children.
While in Abilene, Bernice met Mark J. Gillies, III, and was united in marriage to him on September 15, 1967. During her marriage to Mark, Bernice lived in Montgomery, Alabama and Biloxi, Mississippi while he was in the U. S. Air Force. In 1978, they settled back in Abilene, where she lived until her passing. Mark and Bernice had one child.
Bernice was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Thomas Roach; her husband, Mark; and her grandson, Joshua Wilson.
Bernice is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Owen and Sandy Roach; daughter and son-in-law, Eileen (Roach-Wilson) and Roy Alldread; son, Patrick Roach; and son and daughter-in-law, Mark J. Gillies, IV and Brenda. She is also survived by grandchildren, Stacey Baldwin and husband, Russell, Samantha Lindsay, Liz Wilson, Siobhan Lindsay and Thomas Roach, Stephen and Logan Gillies, Jeff Alldread, Robert Alldread, and Nicole (Alldred) Roach: great-grandchildren, Lexie Mata, Clara Rodriguez, Reid Baldwin, Dylan Skjold and David Rouen; and her surrogate family, Tom and Jane Fischer and their children, Joshua, Caleb, Maleah and Chrisi.
Bernice will truly be missed by her family who will remember her as a wonderful mother and grandmother, and as a true friend to those who knew her. Through all the adversity, struggles and sorrow, she never lost her sense of humor. She often said, "if you ever give up your sense of humor, you may as well curl up in a ball in the corner and let life pass on by."
Bernice was a longtime member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Chapel at Dyess AFB.
Funeral services will be 9 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Grace Chapel at Dyess Air Force Base. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 5701 Hwy 277 South. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home followed by a rosary.
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