Bernice Petten

Passed peacefully away on July 26th, 2024, surrounded by her loving family, at Granite Ridge Care Community in Stittsville, ON. Pre-deceased by her husband the Hon. Wm. (Bill) Petten, parents Elsie & Chesley Bowden and brother Fred. Loving mother of Bill, Raylene (Matt), Rob and Sherry. Proud grandmother of Liam and Emma in Kelowna, Natania & Ellice in California, Jon (Jamie) & Robyn in Ottawa and great-grandmother of Braedon and Connor in Ottawa. Remembered fondly by nieces and nephews in Newfoundland and Labrador.

She will be dearly missed by special friends Shirley Kelloway in St. John’s and Ada Proudfoot in Ottawa as well as extended family, friends and neighbours in Ottawa, Stittsville, St. John’s, across Canada and around the world.

Bernice was a proud member of the 1954 Graduating Class of the Salvation Army Grace Hospital School of Nursing and kept in touch with her class mates over the years, attending the annual Alumni dinners until she suffered a stroke in 2015.

The stroke may have limited her mobility but it did not take away her sense of humour, wit, keen sense of politics and enjoyment of watching the news every day.

Bernice was a strong-willed independent woman who spent her life looking after everyone and everything around her. She was known for her great cooking, baking and her passion to entertain.

When the family moved to Ottawa in 1972, Bernice carried on her passion to entertain by bringing together any Newfoundlanders visiting or moving to the city. There was always room at the dinner table.

A special thank you to all the staff at Granite Ridge, especially those on Meadow House for the care, patience and compassion they showed mom. They became her extended family and for that we are eternally grateful.

A memorial gathering will take place on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at the Garden Chapel of Tubman Funeral Homes, 3440 Richmond Road, Ottawa. Visitation at 10:00am, Memorial Service at 11:00am and Reception at 12 noon. The ceremony will be live-streamed, and attendees must pre-register. To pre-register and view the live stream please visit Bernice’s tribute page on the funeral home website. Private interment will take place later that day.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Salvation Army Grace General Hospital Alumni (saggh.son.alumnae@gmail.com) or the charity of your choice.