Bernice Thompson

Beloved Mom and Grammy Waynesville, Bernice Viola Carver Thompson, age 90, passed away peacefully Friday, July 26, 2013, at MedWest-Haywood. She was a native of Macon, Georgia, and was the daughter of the late Charles Henry Carver Sr. and Nellie Susan Massingale Carver. She was also preceded in death by nine siblings and her husband, Robert Webster Thompson. Bernice served as a Girl Scout leader, PTA president, Sunday School teacher, census worker and Haywood County Literacy Council volunteer. She was a lifelong enthusiastic Democrat. Bernice loved genealogy and was principal author for "The Ancestors and Descendants of Matthew Massingale (Massengale, Massengill) from the 1400s." A copy of the book is archived in the Library of Congress. Bernice loved history, especially the Civil War era. She traveled all over the world, as far as Australia, Europe, Asia and Alaska. She had a love of learning anything and everything, from speaking new languages to painting in oil and watercolors. Bernice loved how her computer allowed her to learn even more and to keep in touch with friends and family through e-mail and Facebook. She is survived by four daughters, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Daughters are Barbara Thompson Jones Graham (and her husband Jim) of Orange Park, FL, Joan Thompson Chollar (and her husband Dean) of Boerne, TX, Susan Thompson O'Day (and her husband John) of Waynesville, NC and Carolyn Thompson Martin of Waynesville, NC. Grandchildren are Jeremy Jones, Jennifer Jones Snow, Jason Chollar, Rachel Chollar Beasley, Micah Chollar, Bethany Chollar Wainio, Molly O'Day, Scott O'Day, Jessica Martin, Nathaniel Martin and Jacob Martin. In honor of her love for animals and in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to SARGE'S Animal Rescue Foundation, P.O. Box 854, Waynesville, NC 28786, or at www.sargeandfriends.com. Wells Funeral Homes & Cremation Services of Waynesville is in charge of arrangements.