March 7, 1925 - March 13, 2016
Born to Andrew and Violet Boyd in Honolulu Hawaii; her mother died at a young age leaving Bernice and her 2 sisters and brother to be raised by their stepmother moving from island to island and to various locations on Oahu. Andrew was an engineer /shipbuilder fluent in several languages including Japanese and served as an interpreter for the military during World War II. At 17 she met the love of her life “Brad” 24, (Francis Brancheau), a career navy man, they married in January 1944, after a mandatory 1 year courtship imposed by her father. A marriage lasting 56 years until Brad’s death in 2000. The next 20 years involved having and raising seven children all born in various states or U.S. territory’s until Brad’s retirement from the military after 22 years. She moved to Brad’s home state of Michigan and continued raising her 7 children there, (never much liking the cold climate), losing their oldest son Francis to the Viet Nam war in 1969. When the children were raised Bernice and Brad moved in 1980 to Roswell New Mexico for warmer, drier weather and resided there near Brads relatives for twenty years until moving to Greenville in 1999 where Brad died in 2000. Never learning to drive Bernice was a town favorite traveling on the Connection bus and meeting and enjoying people wherever she went, the supermarket, hair salon, nail salon, and Hallmark Shop were some of her favorites. Everyone loved the well groomed, well dressed, beautiful little Hawaiian lady who taught us all how to love, live, and enjoy life one day at a time.
She was preceded in death by her parents Violet and Andrew Boyd ( Honolulu Hawaii), a son F.E. Brancheau II (Michigan), her eldest daughter Janifer Cousineau (Michigan), her grandson Francis Ryan (Michigan) her husband, F.E.Brancheau (Greenville), her brother Bobbie Boyd, and sister Cassie Chance (California).
Surviving are her sons David Brancheau & wife, Dyann (Michigan), Gary Brancheau & wife, Kathy (Michigan) and Steven Brancheau & wife, Denise(Greenville), daughters Jeanette Ryan (Michigan), Anne Haney & husband, William (Arizona), as well as 18 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren with 2 on the way.
A funeral mass will be Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Monroe, Michigan with Father John Chinnappa officiating. Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. until service time at the church. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Monroe, MI.