Bernice (Mercer) Parchman - Wetmore |
| Posted 2009-10-12 by Judy Wight Branson |
| The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Saturday, October 10, 2009 Bernice Mercer Wetmore made her transition from this life about 5:36 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, at the Citadel in Mesa, Ariz. She was born on Jan. 28, 1915, in Memphis, Tenn., to William and Edna Burch Mercer. She lived in Nashville for a few years before the family moved to Southern California where she attended school in Los Angeles. Bernice was a professional dancer in showbusiness, traveling to many cities all across America. After she attended business school in Los Angeles, she operated telephone and business office equipment in two banks, Sears, International Paper Company and the Ice Company. Moving to Sacramento in 1940, she was a telephone operator at Mather Air Force Base and worked in the P.X. in 1941 and 1942. In 1943, Bernice moved to Whittier, Calif., where she married the late Bernard Parchman. She moved to the Prescott Valley, Ariz., in 1978 and became very involved volunteering for CASA, attending to the needs of children of broken homes and foster homes. Her pride and joy was the recognition of the Arizona Supreme Court with a medal from Governor Janet Napolitano for her long service as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for troubled children. In 1998 she married Jack Wetmore and they traveled a lot of the world making happy memories. They moved to Mesa in 2002. Bernice's sister, Mildred Wiener, passed away in January 2008. She is survived by and will be greatly missed by her son, Stephen W. Parchman, and his wife, Jolene, of Orlando, Fla.; her grandson, Stephen Scott Parchman, and his wife Susan; granddaughter Kimberly Parchman Kleist and her husband Paul and their daughter, Carli Jo Kleist; great-grandson Stephen A. Parchman of Seattle, Wash., with Scott and Susan. She is also survived by Patricia Johnson of Simi Valley, Calif.; and granddaughter Heidi Hanna of Virginia. She will be especially missed by her husband, A.V. Jack Wetmore, and many friends who have shared and admired Bernice's great "up" attitude and friendly smile. Five days after Bernice's transition her first great-great granddaughter, Adeline Paige Parchman, was born in Tacoma, Wash. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Shriner's Children's Hospitals, c/o The El Zaribah Shrine Temple, 552 N. 40th St., Phoenix, AZ 85005. Information provided by survivors. |
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