Bernice Louise Geer

Bernice Louise Geer, 94, of West Hartford, passed away peacefully on December 9, 2024. Born on October 11, 1930, in Griswold, CT, daughter of the late Harold F. Geer and Gladys (Gallup) Geer, she grew up in Griswold and Ekonk Hill, moved to Hartford after high school, where she worked as a model and secretary, and finally settled in West Hartford, where she lived for the rest of her life. Bernice worked for the State of Connecticut, first at the West Hartford Superior Court, transferring eventually to the Hartford Superior Court where she remained until retirement. She loved opera, attending numerous performances in Hartford and New York City and taking extensive opera appreciation classes over many years. She loved Verdi and Puccini, with a special passion for Boito’s Mefistofele. Her love of theater led her to volunteer as an usher at The Harford Stage and for the West Harford Symphony for many years. As a perpetual and enthusiastic student, she also enrolled in numerous classes, including creative writing, foreign languages, and Chinese painting, areas of study in which she flourished. As an avid reader, she was an active member of the West Harford Public Library. Until the end of her life, and despite failing eyesight, she read three books a week, particularly in the area of non-fiction, history, and biography. In her later years, she cherished every moment spent with her beloved grandchildren, whose friendship and company brought her boundless joy and kept her “young at heart.” Bernice is survived by her son Christopher and his partner António (both of Lisbon, Portugal), her son Damon and his wife Norine, her grandchildren, Megan, Molly and her husband Tyler and Michael as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother David Geer and sisters Dorothy Wheeler, Harriet Brown, and Marion MacLeod as well as by numerous cherished lifelong friends. Funeral services will be private. There will be a Celebration of Life on Sunday, December 29 at 12 noon at Rockledge Grille, 289 South Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bernice’s memory to Abby’s Helping Hand, PO Box 557, Broad Brook, CT 06016

Bernice Louise Geer

October 11, 1930 - December 9, 2024