Berniece Greta Smith's Obituary
Berniece Greta Smith, born April 5, 1910 to James & Retta Strutt in Ridgeway, WI. She attended Local Schools including Plattville Teachers College. She taught in local one-room schools throughout the area ending in Ridgeway Grammar School. She and her younger sister, Maxine then joined the Women's Army Corp. in 1942 where Maxine became an X-Ray tech. And Berniece became a Communication Tech and worked on Japanese Codes. She met Howard L. Smith at a dance and married him two years later before Howard shipped out. When Howard came back & they were discharged they moved west & settled in Richmond Annex where their first child, Marsha Michelene was born on May 9, 1947. Five years later they bought a house just before their second daughter Jeannette Frances was born on February 19, 1952. Berniece was able to take her girls back to Wisconsin to show them farm life a number of times. In 1960 the family moved to the Oakland hills & soon started Lambert Associates, a model railroad track age import business. Berniece was the first sales person and drove cross-country selling all the way. She was also the company bookkeeper thru the 60's until the girls were old enough to help. Berniece remained a vital part of the company until she retired in 1985.Always an eager traveler she visited most of the U.S. including Alaska, Hawaii, as well as most of Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong & Japan.She was predeceased by her sister, Maxine L. Losee in 1996, brother-in-law, Arthur Losee in 1997, her daughter, Marsha M. Gregg in 1998 and former husband, Howard L. Smith in 2000.She is survived by her daughter, Jeannette F. Schroers, and her son-in-law Scott W. Schroers, former son-in-law, Roy H. Gregg and two grandsons, Joshua L. and Lucas J. Gregg.Family and friends may visit on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 from 5:30 to 8:30PM at the Chapel of the Chimes Funeral Home, Hayward, CA. A funeral service will be held at 10:00AM, Wednesday, July 31, 2002 in the Reflection Chapel of Chapel of the Chimes Funeral Home, 32992 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA 94544. Interment will follow in Chapel of the Chimes Memorial Park, Hayward, CA.In lieu of flowers the family appreciates memorial donations to the Cancer Society, 1700 Webster, Oakland, CA or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 150 Grand Ave, Oakland. The family thanks her two main caregivers during 2002 Aisha Zahir and Bea Ramos. Berniece was a loving, generous mother, wife, sister & friend who will be missed by many.Chapel of the Chimes Memorial Park And Funeral Home Hayward, CA. “Service Of Marked Distinction”
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