Montrose - Daily Press

Feb. 28, 1915 —  April 8, 2009

MONTROSE — Lifelong Montrose area resident, Berniece H. Trone Roberts Frasier, age 94, passed away at Tina’s Guest Home in Montrose on Wednesday afternoon, April 8, 2009. Berniece was born Feb. 28, 1915 to Will and Erma (Woodruff) Trone in Colona, Colo. and spent her childhood and went to school on Horsefly.

Berniece met her husband, Henry Roberts, in Montrose at one of the local dances. She loved the Polka and the Waltz and Henry was a fiddle player in a local band. They went to Moab, Utah with Berniece’s parents as witnesses and were married there in 1930, and made their home in the Montrose area. They had three boys, Melvin, Vernon and Gary. With their three boys, Berniece and Henry loved to be outdoors, spending time in the summer months working together at sheep camp at Girlie Lake. Berniece loved to cook for her family. She was such a good cook that she was employed as such by the school district for 37 years, often baking breads and desserts at home for the school menu. Berniece is best known for the homemade rolls she would bring to community events. Berniece and Henry were married for 45 years until Henry’s death in 1975. Ten years later, in 1985, Berniece married Lawrence Frasier at the age of 70. They enjoyed traveling together, especially to Alaska, all the way up to the Arctic Circle in their fifth wheel. Berniece and Lawrence were married for 23 years until Lawrence passed away in 2008.

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Berniece was the longest living member of the Columbine Club, as well as a charter member of the Emblem Club and a member of the Maple Grove Community Club. Berniece enjoyed being involved in her community and spending time socializing with her friends and neighbors. Her true loves in life were going to the hills, gardening, antiques and playing cards. Her love of good fiddle music and dancing continued. She loved teaching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren how to dance. It was with pride, and a certain family ‘rite of passage,’ that Berniece’s grandsons could waltz their grandmother around the dance floor. Berniece continued to live independently, pursuing the pastimes that she had always enjoyed and spending time with her family well into her 93rd year.

Berniece is survived by her son, Melvin Roberts of Delta; her sister, Norma Otterson of Minden, Nev.; her step-daughters, Fern (Steve) Engsberg of Colorado Springs and Renda (Ronnie) Shaw of North Carolina; and daughter-in-law, Shirley (Ken) Wing of Olathe. She was also blessed with 11 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and 40 great-great grandchildren.

Berniece was preceded in death by her husbands, Henry Roberts and Lawrence Frasier; both of her parents; her sons, Vernon Roberts in 1984, and Gary Roberts in 1964; her brother, Homer Trone; one sister, Madge Hatfield; her grandson, Willie Roberts in 1976; and daughters-in-law, Peg Roberts in 2003, and Carol Roberts in 2001.

A private family visitation for Berniece has taken place. A funeral service in honor and celebration of Berniece’s life will be officiated by Paul Nystrom at the Montrose Christian Church on Monday, April 13, 2009, at 2 p.m. Interment will follow at Valley Lawn Cemetery. Donations in Berniece’s memory may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado, PO Box 1804, Montrose, CO 81402. Valley Lawn Funeral Home and Cemetery is in charge of the care and arrangements for Berniece and her family, 505 S. 2nd St., Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 249-4400.

 

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