Bernice Kirk

Bernice passed away Monday April 3, 2006 at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc, age 99. She was born on September 10, 1906 in Caro, the daughter of the late Joseph W. & Mabel (Trask) Braun. She graduated from Caro High School in 1924. She then graduated from the Alger Bliss Business Institute in Saginaw, working for several years as an office secretary. On May 26, 1928, Bernice married her high school classmate, Shuford Kirk. For the next several years, they lived in Lansing and Flint before returning to the Kirk family centennial farm in Juniata Township in 1945. They moved from Caro to Frankenmuth in 1986, and Flint Twp. in 2000. Bernice loved traveling, dancing, playing Bridge and being with her family. Shuford preceded Bernice in death on November 6, 2003 after more than 75 years of marriage. Bernice is survived by one daughter, Barbara Gamache of Flint Township; five grandchildren and their spouses, Kirk Thornburgh of Fowlerville, Nancy & James Higgins of Indianapolis, IN, James Gamache of Charlotte, NC, Michael & Jennifer Gamache of Chicago, IL, Elizabeth Gamache of Detroit; eight great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandsons and several nieces and nephews. Besides her husband, Bernice was preceded in death by one daughter and her husband, Joan Thornburgh in 2003 and William Thornburgh in 2002, her son-in-law, Richard Gamache in 1990, a granddaughter, Jane Birmingham in 2005 and two brothers, Joseph and Harold Braun.