Bernice M. Press' Obituary
Bernice Malise (Carroll) Press, 102, of Clarksville, TX, died peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, July, 1, 2021, at CC Young Senior Living Retirement Community in Dallas, TX. Born February 11, 1919, in Clarksville, TX, she is predeceased by her parents, Ross Carroll Sr. and Ona (Dowell) Carroll of Marshall, TX. She is survived by her daughter, Carol Ann Komisarz and grandson, Ryan Joseph Komisarz
Bernice, along with 3 brothers, spent her early years in East Texas, on farm land and oil fields, until she graduated from Gaston High School, in 1936. She then attended the College of Marshall on a full music scholarship where she played the baritone, and graduated in 1938. Discovering her calling was to help people, she entered the Scott and White Nursing School, where she graduated as a Registered Nurse in May, 1944. The world was at war and she decided to enlist and serve as a Navy nurse, getting on a train for the first time, to travel to Long Beach, California, where she was to be stationed. There she met her future husband, Leonard Press, and when the war concluded, they were discharged from active service, and made their home in the beach area of Los Angeles.
In 1951, they adopted a baby from Bolivia, to add to their family. They named her Carol Ann. Bernice balanced working with her husband as young entrepreneurs, opening the first laundromats, in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Redondo Beach, and Westchester, (which is still in business today), and owning a country and western night club, the Hitching Post, in Gardenia, CA. They divorced in 1964, and Bernice returned to Texas, to take care of her mother after her father passed away. She also returned to nursing, working full time, until she retired from Baylor at the age of 65, after 50 years of a nursing career. After her “retirement” Baylor offered her a job, one day a week in the OR records department, where she worked until she was 80, and only after they outsourced her position, did she finally “retire”.
During her 50-year career, she was never idle. She served as President of the California Nurses Association, and was always active in her church. When she was in her late 70s, she moved into CC Young Retirement Community. Recognizing a need, she began putting together new resident welcome bags for patients entering the rehab center, who often were transferred there with little to nothing personal. With the addition of a new wing, the number of patients tripled and now the staff handles the welcome bags since the numbers were too high for one person to handle. When she decided to recognize war veterans living at CC Young, it turned into another huge undertaking. Every November, you could see her lining the hallways with pictures and stories of well over 100 veterans, her neighbors. No wonder residents and staff alike, starting calling her “Mrs. CC Young.” She called CC Young home, for over 30 years, and when some people would say they came to CC Young to die, she always said she came to CC Young to live – because there, you are truly independent. Drawing on her own experiences (sometimes frustrating) with living with her mother, before moving her to CC Young, at the age of 98, she then founded the first support group in the metroplex, for adult children of aging parents.
In 2011, as a WW II veteran, she was selected to fly to Washington DC, to see the memorials, with the National organization, Honor Flight. They went for 2 days, toured the memorials, had a banquet in their honor, and visited Walter Reed Hospital where they were greeted by Gary Sinise, actor and philanthropist, who founded the Gary Sinise Foundation Avalon Network for defenders, veterans, and first responders.
Later in 2011, CC Young, recognizing her efforts and contributions through the years, submitted a nomination for Bernice, as one of America’s Fifty Outstanding Seniors in the program “Celebrate Age” exhibit at Leading Age’s 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, DC, on October 16, 2011. She was selected and found herself on the way back to Washington DC.
She will be greatly missed by the many people, whose lives she touched , in her 102 years.
Viewing will be held from 4:00 – 6:00pm on Saturday, July 10, 2021, at Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX, 75243. Memorial service will be at 2:30pm Sunday, July 11, 2021, in the Wildwood Chapel, at Restland, as well.
To view livestreaming of the service, please visit:
http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/56754/hash:E16ADDC52371D9A1
This link will be active 15 minutes prior to the start of the service.
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