Bernice Helen Dye

February 17, 1919 - April 24, 2020 Bernice Dye (a.k.a. GG, Nana, and Top Sarge, by her grandchildren), 101, passed into her Savior's loving arms on Friday, April 24, 2020 surrounded by her family. She was born in Davenport, WA on February 17, 1919, the seventeenth of a blended Goans/Long family, and moved to Sedro Woolley, WA, where she grew up. She married the love of her life, Norman Dye, on March 18, 1936. Sons, Richard (Dick) and Robert (Bob) were born in Sedro Woolley. The family moved to North Everett, WA in 1940. Their daughter, Linda, was born in September, 1947, and passed 10 months later. Shortly after Linda's passing, the family moved to South Everett where Bernice remained until her death. Bernice worked at Tillies Deli & Lunch Counter, Simpson-Lee Paper Mill, Nord Doors, and as a hair model for the China Doll Hair Salon. She was a founding member of a twice-monthly Pinochle club that existed from 1943 through 2018. She also enjoyed her book club. After retirement, she and her husband, Norman, spent time fishing and camping at Storh's bar on the Skagit river, picking apples in Wenatchee, WA and traveling to Canada, Nevada and other spots in between in their trusty camper. Their grandkids spent many summers with them camping, fishing, and clam digging. This is when she earned the title "Top Sarge" because they didn't want to get a talking-to on the "naughty" stool. She loved to paint, bowl, golf, do line dancing and water aerobics, and just being out and about. She also loved sports - enjoying the Seahawks and "her boys," the Mariners. The highlight of her life was meeting Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner, and Dan Wilson. Attending the "SAM" club at the First Baptist Church was a monthly delight for her and she spent several years volunteering at the Carl Gipson Senior Center foot clinic collecting cash from the "old people" as she stated when she was in her mid-90s herself. Bernice also played bridge at the Senior Center and Washington Oakes. More important than all her activities was her family. "Family is everything! Everything else is just everything else." Bernice is survived by her son, Robert, and his wife, Alice; daughter-in-law Joanne; nine grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-five years, Norman; and her children, Linda and Richard. There will be a graveside service scheduled at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Carl Gipson Senior Center.