Condon

Bernice Kolar Condon was born to Joseph Thomas and Frances Vyvjala Kolar, Feb. 20, 1922 in the family home. The doctor pronounced her dead. The nurse covered her, but noticed her finger was moving. She lived to be 98. She died Dec. 30, 2020 in Houston.

She was survived by her five children, her eight grandchildren, and now has eleven great grandchildren.

Bernice was one of four children. She survived John Joseph DOB 1911, her brother, and Mary Oma Jones DOB 1926, her sister. Irving Louis DOB 1929, her brother, died only weeks after her.

Her father, Joe Kolar, died when she was 17.

All the Kolar children graduated from Flatonia High School. Bernice’s Uncle Louie drove her to San Antonio for Red Cross Nursing College. She was President of her class. After graduation, she entered the Navy as a lieutenant, in the Navy Nursing Corp. In San Diego she cared for many injured Navy pilots, and sailors, injured in the Pacific. One made her a bracelet out of a piece of his plane. Later she worked in Corvallis, Oregon, in the Navy. She worked as a nurse from 1944 to 1994, retiring at 72 years of age.

At a party for WW2 veterans on Dec. 29,1946, Bernie met James Michael Condon. He drove to his mother’s home in the middle of the night to tell her he just met his wife. Bernie suggested they wait to be sure. They married May 29, 1948, her Uncle Louie walked her down the aisle. Jim and Bernie honeymooned in Mexico. They always adored each other. Jim was a geologist for Standard Oil of California. They were transferred frequently, as Jim was an oil scout, and lived in 17 houses in 17 years. Jim declined seriously in his late 70s, but lived to be 94. She kept him meticulously groomed. They sat together every night outside to watch the sun go down, and to watch the moon and stars come out.

Always devoted to family, friends, and neighbors. She is always deeply missed!