Bernice "Berk" Merslich

Bernice “Berk” Merslich, age 81, of Rogue River, died Friday, August 9, 2013 at her home.

Private services will be held. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Bernice was born September 3, 1931 in Oil City, Pennsylvania to Frank and Aniela Olszowka. Soon after the death of Bernice’s mother, Bernice dropped out of school to care for the home and her brothers and sisters. She eventually was able to work outside the house, taking a job at Woolworths in Oil City. She looked forward to the weekends when she could polka away at the local Polish clubs. This is where she met and fell in love with John. After his Korean War deployment, they married on Valentines Day 1953 and soon after settled in New Jersey where they started their family, two sons and a daughter. Fourteen years later, the family relocated to San Mateo. CA where John and Bernice finished raising their family, eventually retiring to Rogue River, OR in 2000 where they enjoyed their beautiful rural setting in the summers and their winter escape to Palm Desert, CA. John and Bernice celebrated their 60th Anniversary this year.

Bernice was a member of the Escapee RV Club and San Mateo Elks RV Club.

Her hobbies included skiing, flying, RVing, cooking, dancing, entertaining friends and shopping.

Survivors include her husband, John A. Merslich of Rogue River OR; children, John Merslich Jr., Robert J. Merslich and Francine M. Bassignani; a brother, Edward Olszowka and seven grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were her parents Frank and Aniela Olszowka; four brothers, Frank, Joseph, Walter and Louis and sisters, Pauline, Francis, Cecilia and Phyllis.