I believe Bernice passed away just a year or two after we graduated. I can't remember exactly when I met her, but I believe it was in 5th or 6th grade when I was still at Martinson. It COULD have been at Allison, though. (I know, my mind is slipping. I've always heard it's the younger days the elderly remember the best, so I think I'm really going to be in trouble later.) SOMEONE needs to give a bit of a tribute to Bernice. I think she moved to Wichita from somewhere in the East. She lived with two aunts, who seemed pretty old to me at the time. (They were probably 62 like us now). Bernice was very quiet. The first time I visited at her aunts' house, the ladies told me I had to be very careful not to expect Bernice to run or "play hard" because she was sick. I didn't understand. I never knew what illness she had, but I remember her having very pale skin. She was sweet. I think she was pretty smart. She ALWAYS wore dresses that were very old-fashioned, like a young lady straight out of "Little House on the Prairie." I'll always regret not continuing to see her when we were at West, because I'm sure she was lonely. Thank you for being my friend, Bernice Blazier
I remember Bernice and I have thought about her on occasion over the years. She sat in front of me in a class and when we were told she had died, the empty desk was very sobering. I believe she had diabetis and died in a diabetic coma. She was a very sweet and quiet girl.
My mom and I lived at 2nd and Gow in a little duplex on the corner. Bernice and her aunt lived right down the block in a neat little house. I seem to recall another older woman living there, possibly another aunt. My mom got to know one of the aunts. I went to one of Bernices' birthday parties....I might have been the only guest. She was very shy, and had a tough time socially and physically. She, like all of us, was just trying to be a teenager.....just trying to fit ourselves into our lives. She was sweet and kind and did no harm.
I remember Bernice Blazier. She sat next to me in Algebra class in 10th grade. We both sat in the front seats. We would say h ito each other everyday, but we never really talked except to maybe to ask about the assignment or something. She always seemed kind of frail and shy. She was always dressed real neat and tidy, and kept to herself. I remember once she was really having difficulty understanding something having to do with adding/subtractiing the property of "-1" and Mr. Ruth kept trying to explain it so many different ways. It took up a lot of class time. She just couldn't understand it. She really had courage the way she would debate him because it didn't make sense to her. She just felt so frustrated but maybe a little embarassed because everyone was looking at her. Then class ended and he told her we would do it again the next day. She was brave; I probably would have waited until I got home and asked my parents for help. She was a very good person...what a sad ending for her.
You just don't expect young people to pass from this world during your school years. When that happens it sticks with you. There have been many times that I've paused and thought about Bernice again over the years. She and I were in cooking class together that year...in fact we were 'partners' in that class. I reacall that she took everything pretty serious in school, so naturally it became my mission to get a smile or a laugh out of her in that class. The way I remember things, our teacher told us Bernice had 'walking pneumonia' (?) and she'd give us a update every few days...we were All stunned and shaken when she told us Bernice passed away. Too few years on this earth...but never forgotten.
Ella Lehl (Frederick)
I believe Bernice passed away just a year or two after we graduated. I can't remember exactly when I met her, but I believe it was in 5th or 6th grade when I was still at Martinson. It COULD have been at Allison, though. (I know, my mind is slipping. I've always heard it's the younger days the elderly remember the best, so I think I'm really going to be in trouble later.) SOMEONE needs to give a bit of a tribute to Bernice. I think she moved to Wichita from somewhere in the East. She lived with two aunts, who seemed pretty old to me at the time. (They were probably 62 like us now). Bernice was very quiet. The first time I visited at her aunts' house, the ladies told me I had to be very careful not to expect Bernice to run or "play hard" because she was sick. I didn't understand. I never knew what illness she had, but I remember her having very pale skin. She was sweet. I think she was pretty smart. She ALWAYS wore dresses that were very old-fashioned, like a young lady straight out of "Little House on the Prairie." I'll always regret not continuing to see her when we were at West, because I'm sure she was lonely. Thank you for being my friend, Bernice Blazier
MaryLynne Perkins (Ellis)
New Haven
New Haven County
Connecticut, USA
Wichita
Sedgwick County
Kansas, USA
Wichita Eagle, Friday, November 19, 1965
BERNICE C. BLAZIER
Bernice Carol Blazier, 17, of 220 N. Gow, West High School senior, died Thursday in her sleep.
She was born at New Haven, Conn. She lived with an aunt, Miss Harriet Blazier.
Survivors include her mother, Mrs. Orpah Blazier, Middletown, Conn., and a brother, Glen, in the Army.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Culbertson Mortuary. Burial will be in Wichita Park Cemetery.
A memorial has been established at University Friends Church.
Family links:
Parents:
Jacob Dale Blazier (1911 - 1950)
Wichita Park Cemetery
Source: Findagrave.com
Jo Ann Cantwell (Smith)
I remember Bernice and I have thought about her on occasion over the years. She sat in front of me in a class and when we were told she had died, the empty desk was very sobering. I believe she had diabetis and died in a diabetic coma. She was a very sweet and quiet girl.
Greg McFarland
My mom and I lived at 2nd and Gow in a little duplex on the corner. Bernice and her aunt lived right down the block in a neat little house. I seem to recall another older woman living there, possibly another aunt. My mom got to know one of the aunts. I went to one of Bernices' birthday parties....I might have been the only guest. She was very shy, and had a tough time socially and physically. She, like all of us, was just trying to be a teenager.....just trying to fit ourselves into our lives. She was sweet and kind and did no harm.
Cynthia Shirley (Wynn)
I remember Bernice Blazier. She sat next to me in Algebra class in 10th grade. We both sat in the front seats. We would say h ito each other everyday, but we never really talked except to maybe to ask about the assignment or something. She always seemed kind of frail and shy. She was always dressed real neat and tidy, and kept to herself. I remember once she was really having difficulty understanding something having to do with adding/subtractiing the property of "-1" and Mr. Ruth kept trying to explain it so many different ways. It took up a lot of class time. She just couldn't understand it. She really had courage the way she would debate him because it didn't make sense to her. She just felt so frustrated but maybe a little embarassed because everyone was looking at her. Then class ended and he told her we would do it again the next day. She was brave; I probably would have waited until I got home and asked my parents for help. She was a very good person...what a sad ending for her.
Cathy Evert (Ottaway)
You just don't expect young people to pass from this world during your school years. When that happens it sticks with you. There have been many times that I've paused and thought about Bernice again over the years. She and I were in cooking class together that year...in fact we were 'partners' in that class. I reacall that she took everything pretty serious in school, so naturally it became my mission to get a smile or a laugh out of her in that class. The way I remember things, our teacher told us Bernice had 'walking pneumonia' (?) and she'd give us a update every few days...we were All stunned and shaken when she told us Bernice passed away. Too few years on this earth...but never forgotten.