Bernice Edna Hobson

Born March 23, 1930

Deceased December 29, 2023

Bernice was born in Osseo, Wisconsin to Bernard Brazeau and Edna Brazeau (Miller). The family moved to Kingston, Washington in 1936.

Bernice grew up in Kingston on the family farm attending schools in North Kitsap and graduated from North Kitsap High school. She was schooled and trained as a Nurse in Portland Oregon by the Catholic Church and attended Multnomah Community College.

During the Korean War time she worked at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where she met and later married her husband, Odis Hobson, who was finishing his four year tour of duty with the Navy.

Bernice Married Odis Hobson, of Double Springs, Alabama, one week after his discharge from the US Navy. They were married November 24,th 1951 in Suquamish, Washington at St. Peters Catholic Church.

Bernice and Odis settled in the small town of Suquamish, Washington and soon had three children.

While living in Suquamish she went to work at Suquamish Elementary School in 1962 as office staff for several years. Bernice later went to work as a nurse. She worked for Doctor Almond in Poulsbo, Washington and later with Doctor Bethel in Kingston. Bernice loved taking care of the elderly and spent many years working in various nursing homes in Kitsap and Yakima Counties in Washington.

Bernice and Odis moved from their home in Suquamish to Poulsbo on acreage as she had a love of horses. They soon had one horse for each child as the children spent several years in 4-H. Bernice and Odis later joined a square dance club in Kitsap County and 20 years later all the clubs around Washington were invited to Disneyland for a night of music and dance.

Bernice and Odis, purchased acreage on the Bond Road in Poulsbo, developed the land, built their new farm house and lived there for years. They had horses, cattle and other farm animals. After Odis retired from Keyport Naval Torpedo Station they opened the Silver Whale furniture store and owned it for several years until they decided to retire and sell the store.

They purchased 22 acres and moved to Manson, Washington to live next door to Bernice’s brother Bob and his wife. Bernice and Odis helped manage some neighboring apple orchard for several years during the harvest season. Throughout the harvest times several orchard owners around Manson and Lake Chelan would invite them to come and pick from fruit trees that were left full of fruit, which meant long nights and days of canning fruit. They loved to travel in their motorhome and made several trips throughout the United States and Canada. They also loved to snowmobile right from their home where they would explore out into the bordering Wenatchee Nation Forest.

After living in the remote countryside for many years they sold their home and became snowbirds until finally settling down in Yakima, Washington. They soon entered into the world of ownership in the thoroughbred race horse business and one of their horses “Torque Machine” became a National Stallion Stakes winner. She continued to have a love of horses and would often take family and friends to see the horse races in Yakima. When family and friends came to visit, Bernice found herself in one of her faviorite places, the kitchen, where she loved to cook and bake. Bernice continued her love of assisting the elderly while working in nursing homes. Bernice put her artistic abilities to work as a great seamstress and porcelain doll maker. Over a thirty year period she made and dressed about 100 dolls from 4” tall to 5 feet.

They designed and built a lake front home in Double Springs, Alabama where Odis was raised. Odis, passed away at the age of 64 right after the home was finished.

Bernice, a few years later, took a trip to Arizona to visit her oldest daughter. During her visit she purchased a home and moved from Yakima to Arizona City, Arizona. She was tired of the cold winter weather in Yakima. Her new home was on Paradise Lake and soon she had registered and volunteered with Arizona State Wildlife taking care of injured birds. She also continued her doll making hobby which grew into teaching classes at the Casa Grande City Community Center for several years.

Bernice was a devote practicing Catholic and volunteered many hours for the church while living in Washington and Arizona.

Bernice was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2016. She continued to live at her home with assistance until 2019 when she moved back to Kitsap County. She moved to Port Orchard and lived with her son. She enjoyed walking around the property, searching for beautiful dahlias and sneaking flowers back into the house. She was also spotted inside the enclosed blueberry area eating blueberries every chance she could.

Bernice was given her last rites by the Catholic Church on Wednesday, December 27th, and Bernice died at her son’s home on the morning of December 29, 2023.

Bernice had brothers and sisters that preceded her in death, brothers Joseph Brazeau, Bob Brazeau, twin brother Bud Brazeau, sisters LaDemah Germeau, Alberta Syverson.

Her living siblings are sister Beaky Winsor of Yacolt, Washington and Brother Jim Brazeau of Kingston.

Bernice had three children,

Daughter Victoria Degon of Arizona City, AZ, deceased

Lela Rasmussen of Poulsbo, WA.

Donald Hobson of Port Orchard, WA.

Bernice has six grandchildren; Justin Hobson of Portland, Oregon, Tiffany Marcus of Gig Harbor, Washington, Brenda Kelly of Bremerton, Washington, Travis DeGon of West Haven, Utah, Candice Anderson of Arizona City, Arizona and Vinessa DeGon of Gilbert, Arizona along with eleven great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.