Kern County CA Obituary Project Obituaries..... Sloan Cowgill , Bernice August 18 2004 ********************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/obits/obitsca/obitsca.htm ********************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: K Taylor bluewolf@onemain.com August 25, 2004, 7:37 pm The Tehachapi News Bernice Cowgill Dec. 23, 1910 – Aug. 18, 2004 Bernice Sloan Cowgill died early in the morning on Aug. 18. Bernice was a remarkable woman. She was born on Dec. 23, 1910 in Huron, Kan. During Bernice's early school years she and her parents Boyd and Nettie Sloan lived in Kansas City and St. Joseph, Mo. After attending business school, Bernice worked five years at A.H. Jones, a car dealership in Hastings, Neb. As the bookkeeper, it was her job to take the bank deposits to a local bank. There, she always made sure that she was at the window of the handsome teller, George Edward Cowgill. Eventually, George asked her if she would like to go to church with him. It was love at first sight and they dated for five years. They were married July 11, 1933 at the Presbyterian Church in Hastings. Bernice and George had one daughter, Barbara Carlson Smith, born on July 2, 1936. Two years later they moved to the Wilshire area of Los Angeles and George pursued his career with Bank of America, becoming manager of the L.A. International Office and Vice President-Manager at the Burbank office of Bank of America. From that very first date, church has been the foundation of their spiritual life and social life. George was a deacon at Immanuel Presbyterian Church on Wilshire Blvd. Bernice was the official wedding hostess and on the staff for 10 years as secretary to the senior minister. In 1959, Bernice and George moved to Burbank and rapidly became involved in the community and social life. They were members of Oakmont Country Club. Bernice continued her love of bridge and made many friends in the local chapter of PEO, later becoming president. Bernice was a member of Chapter IW, PEO in Bakersfield when she died. Bernice and George retired in 1980 and moved to Bear Valley Springs. They were introduced to the area by George's brother and sister-in-law, Howard and Pat Cowgill. Once again they were actively involved in creating the Bear Valley Community Church, as two of a handful of people that met in the card room of Oak Tree Country Club and later at the Whiting Center. Bernice loved to play bridge and spent many happy hours in the card room at OTCC and as an active member of the women's club. She also remained active with PEO and the Bear Valley Community Church. Bernice was gifted in sewing and made beautiful quilts entirely by hand for her daughter and each granddaughter. Bernice loved to entertain and had a wonderful, musical laugh and a great sense of humor. After her husband's death in 1990, she remained in Bear Valley for five years. She moved to Houston, Texas to be with her daughter, Barbara Smith and son-in- law Gene Smith. After seven years, Bernice happily returned to her home in BVS and lived there with Barbara and Gene for two years. Her pride and passion for life was being involved in the activities of a devoted grandmother to Susan Carlson-Lim, Joan Leigh Carlson and Carol Talesfore-Orem. Her family extended to sons-in-law, Larry Lim and Alex Orem. Then it was her great joy to become a great-grandmother to Sara Talesfore, Julianne Lim and Cassandra Lim. She will be greatly missed by many, but especially by her family. There will be a memorial ceremony in her honor at the Oak Tree Country Club on Friday, Aug. 27 at 2 p.m. All are welcome. Wood Family Funeral Service handled the cremation arrangements. Additional Comments: Volunteer submission - No relation to the deceased. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/kern/obits/gob1366sloancow.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/caobfiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb