Bernice Chase

Bernice (Bea) Aragon Chase-Adams peacefully joined  her Creator on February 15, 2024

after 99 years of earthly life. She is survived by her daughter, Diane M. Chase and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.  

Bernice was born in Moses, NM (Union County)  where life was challenging for a family of 7 children and an older father who worked for months at a time on ranches in  Wyoming.   She helped her mother, Eva, with the household duties and to make ends meet and enjoyed her Clayton high school days very much and later in life would always enjoy the class reunions there.

After graduation she applied and received her first job as Stenographer and Clerk Typist assigned to Clovis Air Force Base in 1942. Later on, after WW2 she was transferred  to Albuquerque where she worked at the Veteran’s Administration and met her future sister-in-law Catherine Chase who later married Bernice’s beloved brother Conrad. They later had 7 children together, producing Diane’s “double cousins”.  Her husband’s brother Joe and Barbara had 11 children.  Bernice was very hands on with helping her sisters-in-law and their families and tending to her one daughter, Diane. She and her husband Martin also opened their home to her niece Angelina Baca and her daughter Stephanie while husband/father Albert was away in Korea.

Two years after Diane was born Bea entered the Civil Service workforce as a secretary and worked in an airplane hanger office at Kirtland  Base Naval Weapons Evaluation facility for 25 years. She had to do a lot of walking up and down stairs and that later served her well all her life.   She thoroughly enjoyed her job which served as an important anchor when life at home met with devastating challenges for her husband who died at age 59.  Her steadiness and non-complaining during those stressful years were an example of her unending faith and dignity and stability to all who knew her at that time as she took on her householder challenges.

She was a devoted Catholic and her living faith  and graciousness were a testament to all who knew her.  While Bible study was not a part of her spiritual life, the Rosary was always by her bedside or in her purse, at the ready.  Once in October 2005 she was asked to crown the statue of the Virgin Mary at the Isotopes Park Rosary Rally.  That was quite a thrill for her to be in the procession with Knights of Columbus and the Archbishop and other church members. She also was a Marionite at her Annunciation church  where she visited  the sick and homebound and delivered the sacrament of Holy Communion for over 15 years.   She found great joy and fulfillment in this ministry and service.

Bridge and Scrabble were activities she thoroughly enjoyed for many years.  In Scrabble she would make up a word, and then look in the Scrabble dictionary and be so pleased with herself for finding a new word! We had many fun nights together with family and friends playing that game.  She also had a knack for making up nicknames for many of her family members: Some of the ones that come to mind include:  Tepanie honey, Ankles Mahoney, Joe Poe the Dynamo, Cosas, adding middle names often where none were before, ie. Patty Lou...

Bea was a super “Catholic” lady and she rarely missed saying the blessings before each meal right to the end of her long and wonderful life.  She will be greatly missed.

A Rosary will be recited Monday, 2/26 at 6:30 pm at French Mortuary

10500 Lomas Blvd NE. Her funeral will be Tuesday 2/27 at 10:30 am at

Annunciation Church 2621 Vermont NE.

 In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to: Daughters of Charity of Canossa

d/b/a Casa Angelica 5629 Isleta Blvd. SW Alb. NM 87105 or visit the Casa Angelica website.