Bernice George

Bernice Harriett Wallis George passed away in Cedar Park, Texas, on April 11, 2016 at 95 years of age. She was born on April 25, 1920 in Eva, Texas (Jim Wells County) to Celilla Charity Virginia (Harwell) and William Roy Wallis. She grew up on various farms around the towns of Alice and Port Lavaca, Texas and graduated from Port Lavaca High School. After high school, she became a telephone switchboard operator in Palacios, Texas, where she met her future husband Robert “Bobby” Eugene George (who was stationed at Camp Hulen for National Guard training). Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, Bobby shipped overseas. Bernice left her job as a switchboard operator and joined the newly formed WAVES (part of the U.S. Navy) in October 1942. While in the WAVES, she received specialized training for a highly secret project designed to crack the German “Enigma” encryption. After training, she was assigned to Washington, D.C., where she worked on the prototype decryption devices called “bombes”. Since her work during the war was designated Top Secret, she never revealed the nature of her job in the Navy until a relative discovered her name in a list of people who had worked on the bombes (information about the project was declassified in 1986). She was 90 years old before she finally admitted to having worked on the decryption project. But she was very proud of her years in the Navy and her service to the country.

In November of 1944, Bobby George returned from the European front, and Bernice and Bobby were married. They went on to have seven children, and while in Austria, adopted another daughter. Bobby retired from the U.S. Army in 1964. During the Army years, Bobby and Bernice lived in a number of locations, including Austria, Germany and Okinawa. After Bobby retired in Okinawa, he remained there with Bernice for six more years, serving as both a Church of Christ minister and missionary. Both Bernice and Bobby also taught English classes at the University of Okinawa. When they returned to the States in 1970, Bobby served as a minister in Mt. Vernon, MO and then in Gallup, NM. Unfortunately, Bobby became seriously ill in Gallup and passed away in 1978 at age 55. Bernice, who was enrolled in Tarrant County Junior College at the time, received her A.A. in Social Work in May 1979 (at 59 years of age). Bernice then moved to Leander, Texas and has resided in the Central Texas area ever since.

Bernice was a devoted wife and mother, with family and church at the center of her life. She was born and raised in the Church of Christ and was a member of the Leander Church of Christ at the time of her passing. Her many hobbies included sewing, crocheting, crossword puzzles, decoupage and other crafts. She enjoyed babysitting her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even friends’ children, always looking for creative ways to educate and entertain them. Her family will miss her greatly.

Bernice was born into a large family of nine and was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; brothers, William, Warren, and Leland Wallis; and sisters, Ruby Smith, Bessie Turner and Leta Burton. She is survived by two sisters, Lois Young and Melinda Haigood; her children, Jean Smootz (Ed), Joseph George, Roy George (Denise), Helen Zanetti (Gary), Gerald George (Theresa), James George, Margie Peaster (Randy) and adopted daughter, Elisabeth Hrzic; as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be at the Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home in Georgetown, Texas from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. Funeral services will be held at the Leander Church of Christ on Thursday, April 14, 2016, at 1:00 PM, followed by burial in Bagdad Cemetery in Leander, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Leander Church of Christ or Hospice Austin.

Arrangements by Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home, 2900 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78628 (512)863-2564.