Bernice Christina Rasanen

OBITUARY: Bernice Christina Larson Rasanen, 78, of Cromwell, CT, formerly of Fairfield, CT, Springfield, MA,and Plantation,FL, died Monday, July 15, 2002 at Pilgrim Manor in Cromwell. Born in Fairfield, CT on March 10,1924 to John and Hulda Halldin Larson. Married to Vernon Rasanen who died in 1994. Bernice was a long-time resident of Springfield and an elementary school teacher in Longmeadow, MA public schools. A Christian, she was a member of the Springfield Evangelical Covenant Church and served and reflected her Lord in many ways, and was very active in Covenant Women Ministries on both local and conference levels. Predeceased by husband Vernon, parents John and Hulda, and stepmother Josephine, brother Harold, and infant sister. Surviving are two sons, John Rhonda of W. Boothbay Harbor, ME, and Dick Paula of Rockford, IL, six grandchildren, Dan, Jeff and Peter of Penacook, NH and Ben, Jenna, and Krista of Rockford, IL, daughter-in-law Carolyn Rasanen of Penacook, NH,, niece Cindy PeterPeterrson of Sweden, and nephews David Priscilla of California, Paul Pat Nilssen of New York, sister-in-law Virginia Nilssen of New York, and cousins Violet Atkins of Illinois and Alice Jones of Worcester, MA. Graveside service Friday 10 am at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Springfield followed by memorial service at 2 pm Friday at the Pilgrim Manor Chapel at Covenant Village in Cromwell, CT. Visitation from 7-8 pm Thur. at Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home, New Britian, CT. In lieu of flowers memorials to the Evangelical Covenant Church, 915 Plumtree Rd., Springfield, MA 01119, or to Covenant Village, Missionary Rd., Cromwell, CT 06416