Born on May 27, 1935, in Clam Falls, Wisconsin, Bernice was the daughter of Theresa and John Barr. She spent her early years on the family’s small dairy farm. After the passing of her father in 1938, Bernice and her sister Delores helped their mother maintain the farm. In 1940, Theresa married Edd Levy, and together they raised Bernice and her siblings.

Bernice graduated from Turtle Lake High School in 1953 and soon moved to Cumberland, Wisconsin, where she worked at the Dime Store. Later that year, she began dating Eugene Van Cauteren, a Korean War veteran and childhood neighbor. The two were married on September 4, 1954, at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Cumberland.

In 1958, Bernice and Eugene moved west, eventually settling in Tangent, Oregon, where they raised their three children: Edd, Steve, and Anita. Their journey took them to Boise, Idaho, and later to Aloha, Oregon, where they purchased a home and retired in 1987. During retirement, they traveled extensively across the United States in their fifth-wheel trailer and visited Europe twice. In 1999, they made their final home in Hillsboro at the River Road Mobile Home Park.

Bernice found joy being a devoted mother and truly loved spending time with family and friends above all. She loved card games, board games, dominoes, and cheering on the Portland Trail Blazers, Green Bay Packers, and professional tennis. She will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her daughter Anita Bundy; son Edd Van Cauteren; brother Norm Levy; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by; Husband, Eugene Van Cauteren; Son, Steve Van Cauteren;  Mother, Theresa Levy; Father’s, John Barr & Edd Levy;  Sister’s, Delores Potvin & Phyllis Adascheck.

A Catholic funeral will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Aloha, Oregon.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.

May her memory bring comfort to all who knew her.