Obituary of Bernice C. Gillingham

Bernice Gillingham, age 87, of Cambridge, Wisconsin passed over on Thursday, June 24, 2010 at the HospiceCare Center in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. She was born on October 16, 1922 on a farm in Jackson Township in Adams County near Oxford, Wisconsin the daughter of Frank and Elsie (Hill) Sorensen. The farm was homesteaded by her Danish immigrant grandfather in the 1860's. The homestead is still in the immediate family. She attended Wolf Lake rural school for 8 grades near the farm, then attended Oxford High School from 1936 to 1940, graduating with high honors. She married Howard Gaffney in November of 1941. During WWII she followed him to Aberdeen Proving Grounds at Baltimore, where she found employment until he was transferred to Texarkana, TX where she lived until he was sent to Marseilles, France. She returned to Wisconsin and lived in Madison for the duration, where she held positions with the Kroger Company, Wisconsin State Motor Vehicle Dept., then was secretary to the Mautz Paint Company's attorney. After her husband's return from overseas they moved back to Oxford, where she lived until 1956 before returning to Madison where she began a new chapter in her life's journey. She was a pediatrician's medical assistant for several years. During this time she met Gerald Gillingham whom she married in 1963. They moved to Minnesota where they took over a real estate office for United Farm Agency in Princeton for seven years, before coming back to Dane County where they purchased a small farmette near Cambridge. She joined the Oakland Cambridge Presbyterian Church in 1971, and was later elected a sitting elder twice. After returning from Minnesota she established a career in sales, first with Avon and then was licensed to sell life insurance for Madison National Life. She had to retire in 1979 to care for her terminally ill husband. After Jerry passed in 1980, she became very active in John Knox Presbytery where she sat on several governing committees for 16 years and at one time was nominated to serve on the insurance board of the Synod of Lakes & Prairies for 3 years. The animal world has always played an integral role in Bernice's life since her early childhood on the farm. Spring brought new kittens, little lambs, baby ducks, chicks, and goslings for her to play with and nurture. All through her life cat kids have shared her home and Foxie, Lilah and Lady LePew were with her to the end. After moving to Cambridge, husband Jerry and Bernice acquired a flock of sheep and some angora goats. After his death she remained on the farm and kept the flocks for another 15 years.Bernice was an avid environmentalist and ecologist, supporting causes to protect flora and fauna in our oceans, rain forests, jungles and plains. She loved digging in the dirt and for the last 30 years she had a large organic produce garden, to the delight of her clientele. Besides the usual annuals and perennials, her asparagus and raspberry crops were in seasonal demand. A hobby was flower arranging and used her flower gardens to provide fresh blooms for the church sanctuary on most Sundays during the summer. She also liked to cook, especially the old-fasioned, down-home style she learned at her mother's knee during The Great Depression when recipes were in your head instead of on paper. Her father taught her to waltz and two-step at an early age and she found great enjoyment in dancing her whole life. During WWII she joined a USO unit of girls to be dance partners for the soldiers stationed at Truax Field. Surviving is survived by 2 nieces: Karen and Margaret, nephew: Tom Roos, dear companion Howard and several cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Elsie (Hill) Sorensen and her brother Eli. A Memorial Celebration of her life�s journey will be Sunday, July 11, 2010 at 3:00PM at the Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church in Cambridge, Wisconsin. Friends may call after 2:30AM on Sunday, July 11, 2010 at the church until the services. Inurnment will be in the Oxford Cemetery, Oxford, Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church or to the Dane County Humane Society. The Nitardy Funeral Home, Cambridge is assisting the family.