Bernice Emily Deen, 100, of Keene, NH, died Saturday, September 3, 2022. She was born April 25, 1922, in Abington, PA, the daughter of Charles Delaplain and Emily Schweitzer. She received an associate degree from Santa Barbara Community College. She had stellar careers as mother, an LPN during WWII in Abington, PA, florist, real-estate agent and broker, computer science instructor, writer, and card player. She was a member of the League of Women Voters, an elected representative to town meeting in Greenwich, CT, and a lifelong Democrat. 

Bernice taught computer sciences in Santa Barbara and after relocating back to the east coast continued to teach at the Edward King Senior Center in Newport, RI into her 90’s. She was an avid writer, excellent card player, and loved the complexity of Mahjong. Once her grandson, Sam and his buddies, Matt and Kevin, while feeling their teenager oats, challenged Bernice to a poker game. Grandma would only play for money (pennies) and she totally wiped them out of every last penny they held amongst themselves, without any remorse what-so-ever. Her granddaughter, Hannah still claims she can beat anyone at Gin Rummy because of what she learned from her grandma, Bernice. 

Bernice is survived by her son, and daughter-in-law, David, and Allison Deen of Westminster, VT, and her daughter, and son-in-law, Dianne and Jim Metcalfe of Huntington, Long Island. She was predeceased by her parents, husband, David L. Deen Jr, son, Charles William Deen, grandson, David Scott Deen, and great-grandson, Spencer Scott Deen. Bernice was the proud matriarch of a Deen family that included three children, four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and five great, great-grandchildren.

Her granddaughter, Deborah remembers when as teens she and her brother, David went to California to visit Bernice and she picked them up at the airport. Here they were, two Vermont teenagers who had never even seen a six lane highway driving with their GRANDMOTHER weaving in and out of California downtown traffic with ease. Bernice took them to an L.A. Laker’s game when the Laker’s were at their best. Bernice held season tickets and Deborah has always wondered, “What Grandmother has season tickets to the L.A. Lakers?”

Her daughter, Dianne remembers Bernice introducing her to opera when she was a teenager. It was magical to go with her to the old NYC Center Opera house (torn down in the sixties when Lincoln Center was built) to see her first opera with her mom and has ever since been in love with the romantic operas.

Bernice was prepared for her end, but with her lifelong reserve of courage and dignity and with full consciousness continued the final process of her life for four months and nine days beyond her 100 birthday.

Her own recently expressed dreams found on her desk where she could see them every day said that Bernice wanted to: Parachute into Paris; Dance with Robert Redford; Drive across this country again (which she always did as a preference by herself); complete her PhD; and Sponsor a charity.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimers Fund at Langdon Place of Keene (https://www.genesishcc.com/langdonplacekeene) or Edward King House Senior Center of Newport, RI (https://www.edwardkinghouse.org/donate/).