Bernice Etta Wideman

SISTER BERNICE Etta WIDEMAN, age 85, of Dorchester, MA., was born the second of four siblings to the blessed union of the late Peter and Mary Alexander Wideman on September 13, 1938 in York, Sumter County, Alabama. She peacefully surrendered to the Will of God and transitioned at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, on August 26, 2024. Visitation for family and friends is scheduled Saturday morning, September 7, 2024 from 10-11:00 a.m. in the Weatherly Chapel. Afterwards, the processional will leave for the Service of Interment and Committal to be held at 12:00 noon in Lillie's Chapel Cemetery, located 7515 Alabama Highway 17, York, Alabama. She joined Lillie's Chapel AME Church of York Alabama and later joined the Charles Street AME Church of Boston, MA. Bernice graduated high school in 1957 from Kinterbish High School, Cuba, Alabama. While a student, she was a member of the Girls' Basketball team as the team's Assistant Captain. She moved from York, Alabama to Hartford, CN and had several jobs that prepared her to complete her Nurse's Aide training. Eventually she would become a Licensed Practical Nurse when she and her two small children relocated to Boston, MA in 1965 where she was employed at Children's Hospital and retired after thirty two (32) years of dedicated service. Following in her mother's footsteps, Bernice joined the order of Eastern Star of Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of Massachusetts in 1983. In 1994 she was the Worthy Matron of Rising Sun Chapter No 2 and Past Royal Commandress of Mt. Olivet Court No. 3. She joined in ministry work at the Framingham State Prison providing young women the tools to return and maintain a productive life outside the prison. Bernice was a loving daughter, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great grandmother as well as a wonderful friend. She lived a life that provided a legacy of hard work, persistence, determination and her faith in God as her guide to be the best she could be. Those who have preceded her in death are her parents, her sister, Idella and brother, J. T. Those who remain to cherish the memories of a well-lived beautiful life are: her sons - Ricky, Christopher and Kirby; her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, and her brother Peter, Jr. She will be deeply missed by a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends who loved her dearly and whom she also loved. Truly Bernice will be missed! To the entire Wideman Family, we at Weatherly Funeral Home and J. B. Johnson Funeral Home (Roxbury, MA) offer to each of you our most sincere and heartfelt sympathy and condolences. Our prayer remains that God will lend to you a measure of comfort to strengthen and to sustain you during your time of bereavement.