Bernice Josephine Hallman

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our mother, grandmother and great grandmother.  Bernice passed unexpectedly at Peace Arch Hospital on April 17, 2018, at the age of 85 with family by her side.

Bernice was born in Lacombe Alberta, attended school in Blackfalds and Red Deer, Alberta.  Later she went to work in the banking sector in Red Deer. While working there, she met and later married her husband of 62 years, George Hallman. They lived in Blackfalds for several years and in 1952 had a daughter Judith.  Later they moved to Edmonton and then onto Calgary.  Bernice enjoyed entertaining, curling, bowling, sewing and gardening and went back to work in a bank at Chinook Center in Calgary. In 1965 she left the bank work behind to have her second child Craig and continued to live in Calgary until 1970.

They left Calgary to settle in Oliver, B.C. and finally Kelowna in 1972. While living in the Okanagan, Bernice continued to have wonderful gardens, helped with the family business, cared for her grandchildren and enjoyed having family and friends visit.

In the spring of 2005 they left Kelowna for the B.C. Lower Mainland to be closer to family and settled in White Rock.  She continued to garden, play cards, golf as often as she could and loved to make her family favourites, her famous Pee Wee Scout cookies, brownies and cabbage rolls.  She always made sure to bake Judy and Craig birthday cakes and sometimes did two so Craig would not have to share his with the rest of the family!  Bernice loved to have her family come to her home, and over the years hosted countless dinners at Christmas and other special days.

The last few years found Bernice living with COPD and at that time she joined the YWCA which brought her much friendship and care. She found good friends and strength there and often talked about her sessions with them to the family.  Her illness never slowed her down and even just weeks before her passing she was decorating Easter goodies with her great grandson Keaton and assisting a granddaughter after a surgery. She was devoted to her two granddaughters and great grandson and she said they were a great source of happiness to her.

Bernice was predeceased by her parents Bert and Carmen, her husband George, her sister Mary and brother Wilfrid.  She is survived by daughter Judy (Melvin), son Craig (Charlene), granddaughter Christina (Arlo), granddaughter Nicole (Sean), great grandson Keaton as well as her younger sister Jeannette (Richard).   She will be remembered by many nieces, nephews and friends.

A thank you to niece Joanne (Rudy) Nielsen and Sean Semple for their support to the family over the years.  The family would also like to thank Dr. David Anderson for his care and attention to Bernice and to the doctors and nurses of the ER and ICU Wards at Peace Arch Hospital for their care of Bernice.
Donations may be made to The Peace Arch Hospital Foundation or the Heart and Stroke Fund of BC. 

The family will celebrate Bernice’s life at a future date. 

You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence for the family.