90, of Whitby, passed away on February 17th, 2024 from natural causes.

Berenice was born on February 26, 1933 to Douglas and Winnifred Bruce in Toronto.

When she was 13 the family moved to Kingston, Ontario where she finished high school at KCVI and began a career in banking as a teller.

It was there she met the man who used to shoot elastics at her legs for attention, which he got when she and William John Murray were married on October 11, 1952 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian in Kingston.

In 1955, Bernice and Bill moved to East York, Ontario and went on to have a daughter, Dianne Elizabeth.

These are the facts of moms life, but they hardly capture that life in its entirety. It is a struggle to know what to say about our parents in moments like these for we are only ever given glimpses into their lives and we always do so from the perspective of having been their children.

It is in the spirit of celebrating all of my mother’s life, then, that I look forward to yet more memories, more stories, and more glimpses into the whole of Bernice’s life that we invite you to share at the link below.

Berenice was predeceased by her husband William (2004), brother Robert Bruce (1980), and is survived by her daughter Dianne Gignac, grandson Richard Gignac, great granddaughter Nathalie, nieces Elizabeth Campbell, Mary Catherine Mills, LaurieAnn Murray and nephews Jim Murray and David Mills.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Humane Society of Durham Region, because mom always loved animals.