Thursday, November 8th, 2018
Bernice Barge
Bernice "Bece" Rose (Wenning) Barge passed away at age 86 on September 16, 2018 in Kent, WA from complications due to COPD.
She was born August 11, 1932 in Coldwater, OH to Joseph Wenning and Josephine (Depweg) Wenning. In 1953 she married Ralph Barge of Versailles, OH.
She is survived by her daughter, Saqra L. (Barge) Raybuck, Bernice's brother Mark Wenning, and her sister Donna (Wenning) Rose.
Preceded in death by: her parents, her husband Ralph, infant son Randy, daughter Debbie, and numerous siblings and half-siblings, and her beloved dog Radical.
Bernice moved from Ohio to Washington state in the early 1960s, where she worked as a dental assistant, and later was co-owner of a family business as electronics representatives located in Bellevue, WA. She was also an activist in WA state for programs for the handicapped, with a special focus on helping developmentally disabled children.
Bernice retired and moved back to Ohio in 1995, before returning permanently to Washington state in 2011 to be near her daughters.
She was an avid golfer, pinochle player, crossword aficionado, adored mowing the lawn on the lawn tractor, and loved going to the casino to play the slots. One of the most treasured memories of the entire family is both of the parents and both of the daughters participating in singing show tunes, barbershop music, and Christmas carols together in different parts of the house through the heating ducts when everyone was getting ready for school and work.
Bernice's daughter Deborah Jo Barge passed away June 9, 2014 in Shoreline, WA from complications due to Down's Syndrome, and they will both be interred at 11 am, Sat., Nov 17 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Cemetery in Montezuma, OH. The ceremony will be officiated by Rev. Alfons Minja of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, and will be attended by Bernice's daughter Saqra and (Saqra''s husband) Jeff Raybuck. Attendees to the interment are invited to join the family for a very informal lunch at a local restaurant after the interment if desired.
