Bernice Francis Buck

Bernice was born in Sterling, Illinois, on November 9, 1922. She grew up in Western Illinois and Southern California, raised a family in suburban Chicago, and moved with her late husband, Warren L. Buck, to Seattle in 2005. She graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in business education and taught and worked as an executive assistant until retirement. She died December 12, 2019 in Seattle, Washington.

Everyone who met Bernice quickly noticed her extraordinary drive and energy. Her lifelong pursuit of education and learning kept her mind active with professional work and personal projects including genealogy, embroidery, needlepoint, quilting, bird watching, collecting stamps and coins, and baking cookies for her grandsons. Wherever Bernice was, she relished friends and social groups and contributed her time and energy to PTA and church groups, scouting, Audubon Society and, in later years, her community at University House Wallingford. Bernice was unfailingly disciplined and organized but also warm and accepting, with a thoughtful, sly sense of humor. She instilled in her two sons her strong work ethic, moral compass, adventurousness, and appreciation of diversity.

Bernice is survived by son Steven Buck, daughter-in-law Jeanette Norris, grandsons Sam Buck and Jonas Buck, great-grandson Warren J. Buck, nephew Jerry Francis (Debbie), niece Linda Vos (Larry), and many great nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by son Gerald Buck, daughter-in-law Maury Sharp, brother Hubert Francis, sister-in-law Marie Francis, and nephews Ronnie and Arman Francis.