On December 6, 2017, Bernice Johanna Hendricks passed away at Rennes in De Pere. She was just shy of her 90th birthday bash. Bernice was born on December 18, 1927 in De Pere to Martin and Frances (Lasee) Hendricks. She lived in the family home (where she was born) almost her entire life until she sold it to De Pere Auto on July 7, 2007, and moved three houses away.
Bernice attended St. Mary’s Grade School and graduated from East De Pere High School in 1945. She was employed by the Brown County Treasurer, Brown County Clerk, De Pere Water Department, and was a bookkeeper for the West De Pere School System where she retired in 1990. She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, where she was active with the Christian Ladies and helped out with funeral dinners. After retirement she volunteered countless hours with the Diocese of Green Bay Archives doing record keeping. While there, she researched her own family’s genealogy and began to keep extensive records of the family tree. Bernice enjoyed puzzles, cross-stitching, and knitting for her nieces and nephews and she made Christmas stockings for many of her great nieces and nephews. Bernice trusted in the power of the rosary and prayed it daily.
She is survived by her brother and sisters: James (Carol) Hendricks and their family: Mary Shifflett, Dan (Sandy) Hendricks and Gary (Connie) Hendricks; Millie (Jack) Walsh and their family: Mike (Sue) Walsh, Linda (Rick) Loftus, Nancy (Jerry) Coppus and Ann (Eric) Goska; Marian Kacmarynski and her family: Lu Ann (George) Fabian, Kathy (Bob) Barge, Janice Kacmarynski and Karen (Randy) Sczepanski; Delores Vernosh and her family: Tom (Cindy) Vernosh, Jerry (Cindy) Vernosh, Marty (Mary) Vernosh, Mary Beth Vernosh, Sue (Nick) Ploor, and Sara Vernosh. Bernice also has an abundance of great-nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

Bernice was preceded in death by her parents, her nephew Steve Walsh, two brothers-in-law Jerome “Kaz” Kacmarynski and Darrel Vernosh.
Family and friends may visit at Cotter Funeral Home, 860 N Webster Ave, De Pere, on Sunday, December 10, from 3-6pm, with a parish prayer service to conclude the evening at 6:00pm. Visitation will continue on Monday at St. Mary Catholic Church, 4805 Sportsman Drive, Ledgeview, from 10:00am until 10:45am. Mass of Christian burial will follow at 11:00am with the Rev. Richard Getchel officiating. Burial in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, De Pere.
Our sincere thanks to Mary Jane Van Remortel for your dedication to Bernice through weekly visits and your long-time friendship. It meant so much to Bernice and to all of us.
Special thanks to Larry and Tina Fisette along with the entire staff of De Pere Auto for their kindness over the years.
Our family would like to thank all of her caregivers and friends who made it possible for her to live and thrive on her own until she was 88. We also wish to thank the staff at Rennes Health and Rehab for their caring support and compassion.
Bernice will be remembered by family and friends for her endless love and care, quick smile, and dry sense of humor, which showed up in the form of birthday cards.
“Now I lay me down to sleep
And pray my Lord the soul to keep.
And if I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.”