Bernice H Dennis

Bernice Hazel Dennis, 89, of Springfield, IL, passed on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at St. John's Hospital with her loving daughter by her side. She was born October 9, 1933, in Pontiac, MI the only daughter of John and Hazel Lilleyman. She married her lifelong love, Bernard “Al” Dennis on February 12, 1955.
 
She was an only child but grew up with Al’s large family of 15 children and she was considered the unofficial 16th child.

She and Al moved from Pontiac to San Diego, CA in 1960 where they lived until 2003 when they then moved to Pleasant Plains, IL to be with their daughter and her family who was expecting their first and only granddaughter.

Bernice graduated from The University of Michigan from their Nursing Program. She eventually transitioned to the insurance industry later in life once they moved to California where she eventually retired from Aetna.

Bernice was a lifetime Girl Scout that started in Michigan as a scout herself. She then became a troop leader and when her daughter was young, started a troop for her as well. When her granddaughter started her girl scout journey, she helped her daughter lead a new troop for several years.

Bernice was an athlete growing up herself, but her and Al were well known their entire lives as the world’s best sports fans. Both their daughter and granddaughter were very big into sports, and they attended just about every game along the way, right up until the end when you could always see them rolling up in their wheelchairs to get a front row seat. 

She is survived by; daughter, Pamela (Michael) Nation of Pleasant Plains, IL; granddaughter, Sierra Nation of Denver, Colorado.

She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.

Services will be held at a later date at Camp Butler.

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