ForeverMissed
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Her Life

Loving wife, mother, and friend

March 3, 2014

Bernice May Teachout was born in Troy, Mi. on May 6, 1925 to Charles Yennior and Flora Yennior nee Kirschbaum. She was born in what later would be my grandparent’s garage which they were living in while their house was built. She had an older brother, Lloyd, who she loved dearly. She lived in Troy on the same street for all of her childhood and into her adult life. She was surrounded by family. Her Uncle Alvin and Aunt Emma lived next door to her parents and our families were always close to them. Her grandmother lived with them for some time also. She learned to play the piano at a young age and often played during family gathering. Bernice graduated from Log Cabin High School in Clawson and afterward she worked for Dr. Burr as his secretary. She always said that Dr. and Mrs. Burr were like family to her. Near the end of WWII she married her childhood sweetheart, Jay D. Teachout, Jr. on January 12, 1946.  They also grew up together on the same street and attended the same schools. They attended local dances together and loved to dance together.  Even as children we enjoyed watching them do the jitterbug.  Bernice continued to work while Jay went to school.  She eventually quit her job to become a full-time wife and mother.  She was a brownie and girl scout leader for many years.  I still have friends that remember those times.  She also played the piano at school during music class and the organ at church.

Bernice is survived by three daughters, Kathy and Beth of Highland, Mi. and Judith of Highlands Ranch, Co.  She was also the loving grandmother to three grandchildren, Jaclyn and Sean McWilliams and Sophie Klechka.  Bernice also had two great grandchildren, Liam and Morgan McWilliams.  She loved being a mom and enjoyed her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband, Jay, who recently passed in January 2014, a son, Timothy, who died in 1974 and her brother Lloyd who passed in 2012.

Bernice and Jay lived on Hickory St. in Troy where they fixed up an old house next door to Jay’s parents.  The house was being used as a chicken coop.  They always joked about this.  Jay father purchased a cottage on White Lake in Highland in 1954.  Our family enjoyed staying there during the summers.  Bernice liked to swim, water ski, and take cruises in the boat.  She was known to fish occasionally but I know she didn’t enjoy it but wanted to make her father-in-law happy.  We had many a fun summer there with family and friends.  Bernice and Jay later built a home on this property.  They did a lot of the work themselves and Mom even got up on the roof to put on shingles because dad didn’t like heights. 

Right before retirement they bought a place on Hutchison Island in Florida.  They would winter there for some years but when it got to crowded they sold the place and moved to Winter Haven, Fl. where they continued to enjoy winters in the warmer weather.  They made many friends there and enjoyed playing cards and going to activities at the club house.  They also played golf often.

During the last years of her life she lived permanently in Highland, Mi. with her husband and two daughters, Kathy and Beth.