Bernice Been

Bernice Been was a loving, strong-willed, devoted wife and mother. One never had to guess what she was thinking, as she was often self-expressed with her feelings or opinions on many matters over the years. She was an easy going, natural born animal lover, who cared more about spending time outdoors and building memories with her children but she also made sure they knew they had to get the chores done. Bernice was a gracious host and it is no surprise that Christmas music was her favorite as each and every holiday she loved to fill her home with family. Her warm spirit and fun loving ways will be dearly missed by her family and those who loved her.

The 1920s saw the large-scale boom of automobiles, telephones, and motion pictures, as well as unprecedented industrial growth and significant changes in our nation’s culture. At a time when Lou Gehrig and Amelia Earhart were household names, Roswell & Elena (Barnes) Scott welcomed home the last of their nine children, their baby girl, Bernice, on June 5, 1928, in South Haven, Michigan.

Born to a set of hard-working farmers, who modeled for their children the courage and the grit to make it in America, Bernice grew up caring for the family farm. In addition to helping with the daily chores, she learned to cook and to sew and help out in various ways to support her family. Typical of the times, she attended the local schools in Bangor until the 10th grade. Uniquely gifted with excellent cooking skills; especially her dishes of meat and potatoes, made her a great catch for her life partner, Martin Been. They met while attending school together, and after Martin was discharged from his years of military service with the United States Army, they were united in marriage in 1951.

Moving to the Plainwell area after spending some of their early years in the country setting of Bangor, they raised three wonderful daughters together; Deborah, Susan, and Linda. Bernice relished in her role of being a mother. She loved to cook and taught them how to can and to sew anything from curtains to clothing! Bernice was especially known for her canned jellies and veggies, yet she could just about anything! While she was busy with household duties and raising her girls to be independent, she was also working as a hairdresser in the family home. Bernice was a master at balancing her work with her family and nothing seemed to bring her greater joy than sharing in her children’s successes. Not to be forgotten was the fact that Bernice also raised many animals over those years. She and Martin had horses, cows, and pigs! She was a natural animal lover and her early years on her parent’s farm served her well during those years as there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do to manage their own farm efficiently. Although she loved to care for each and every one of the animals, she was especially fond of dogs and the family always had at least one family pet to love and cherish.

Bernice was a woman of many special interests. During her adult years, she and Martin enjoyed traveling together. They made it to such beautiful destinations as Tennessee, Missouri, Hawaii, and Mexico! Her natural curiosity led them to several of the popular sightseeing tours as well as special places off the beaten path. She also cherished many years making memories by playing cards with her special friends; Shirley, Dorothy, Eva, and Alice. They spent many years sharing laughter and heartache along the way. Their bond with one another was the result of sharing in many common interests over the years, such as cooking, mothering, and homemaking. A woman of faith, Bernice was active at Alamo Congregational Church for several years. Above all else, Bernice savored the times she was with her family or attending one of her several grandchildren’s school events or special recitals. She treasured each and every one of them. Delighted that her family was thriving, Bernice was proud that she and Martin created a beautiful group of people for whom she was grateful to call her family. Described as the kindest and most compassionate woman, Bernice’s charming sense of humor and her generous ways will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

Bernice J. Been, age 89 of Plainwell passed away on July 1, 2017, at Bronson Hospital. Visit with her family and friends and view her life story film on Friday, July 7 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, Plainwell; 120 Woodhams St. (685-5881). A funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the same location. Bernice’s family includes her daughter Deborah Been; grandchildren: Tom (Jessica) Pickett, Angela (Rodger) Peebles, Chad (Maggie) Bronson, Berangila (Juan) Gonzales, Lorelei (Geoff) Denton; 15 great-grandchildren as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 64 years, Martin; her children: Susan and Linda; her siblings: Oval, Effie, Viola, Ida, Ella, Lilly, Bud, and Dorothy. Please visit Bernice’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a memory or photo and sign her memory book online.