Bernadine Jeanette Wood

There are some people whose lives are so beautiful that words simply cannot do them justice. Bernadine was one of those people. I have spent many days wondering how to describe her. The truth is, I cannot. Her faith was absolute. Her purity was genuine. Her goodness came naturally. Her selflessness never seemed forced. Her discipline was remarkable. Above everything else, she loved—quietly, humbly, faithfully, and without counting the cost. When we think about greatness, we often think about people who accomplish extraordinary things. Over the years I have come to believe that true greatness is much quieter. It is found in ordinary people who faithfully do ordinary things with extraordinary love. Rather than tell you what I think of Bernadine, let me tell you a few stories. Story 1: The Roof Story 2. The Ring Story 3. The Cruise Bernadine was born in a small town in southeast Texas, the third of eight children in a deeply Catholic family. She attended Catholic schools, worked in her father's department store, studied business, and spent much of her free time in the Newman Club. Four different young men asked her to marry them. Thankfully for me, she said no to every one of them. Then one evening she accepted a blind date. That decision changed my life forever. She embraced marriage with complete trust in God and became the mother of ten children. Nearly ninety months of pregnancy. Ten deliveries. Thousands of diapers. Thirty years of raising children. And I honestly cannot remember hearing her complain. As the children grew, Bernadine found joy serving at church, traveling, especially to Hawaii, and spending time with family and dear friends. Nothing made her happier than having her children come home. William R. Wood