Tributes

Bernice Irene Etter Fillinger was born September 9, 1919 in LaCoste, Texas to Mattie and Charles Etter. She grew up a country girl in Medina County and spoke often of her adventures with her three sisters and four brothers. She remembered following "Papa" through the field in a furrow plowed by his plow horse. She often pointed out the rock corral near Hwy 90 and Bippert Lane where she remembers walking atop as a child. She let you know that she didn't need a gun to kill a rabbit; she did it with a rock. Bernice was a true Tomboy and lived her entire life with a strong, I can do it myself attitude. Bernice completed high school in San Antonio while living with her sister, Vera, and began her adult life. She first worked at Summers Drug. In 1937 she met a young man from D'Hanis that she first thought of as a smart aleck and on October 21st, 1939 that young man, Jim Fillinger became her husband. For the next thirty six years Bernice and Jim lived the adventure and had four children. Their life together began in San Antonio. The San Antonio stay was interrupted by WWII and Bernice and Jim, with Pat and Buster in tow, moved to Pueblo Colorado, then to Grand Island, Nebraska while Jim served in the military. After the war they returned to San Antonio, Charles and Gary came along. Bernice had a full time job raising her family. She volunteered her time to her children's school and worked bingos, was active in the PTA and served as President of the PTA. Bernice and Jim lived in San Antonio until Hwy 90 was expanded and then moved west of San Antonio to a country home on Grosenbacher Road. Bernice dealt with a lot of change in her life and knew to expect the unexpected. It was not unusual for her husband to leave for work in one car and come home in another. Jim did a lot of wheeling and dealing. Bernice particularly enjoyed Medina Lake. She enjoyed the numerous locations they had at the lake including Tshicharts. Forrie's, and the houses near Seekatz in Cedar Hills. Bernice was the fisherman and proved it on a regular basis. She wore the paint off of many silver Bomber top water lures, which was her favorite bait. She had caught anything catchable on a Zebco 33 in Medina Lake from a 5 lb black bass to a moccasin. She was fishing once with Jim and he was catching crappie one after the other and she couldn't get a bite. Then a fish hit her rod and broke her line. She put on a new hook and dropped it back down in the same place only to have the fish bite and break the line again. Jim gave her his rod and reel that had heavier line and she dropped it back in again. This time the fish bit again and she landed a 5 ½ lb. black bass that had her other two hooks still in its mouth. A little known fact is that Bernice was the original designated driver. This was initiated by the D'Hanis church festival and something to do with beer tickets. Shortly before Jim retired, another move was in store and life in Castroville began. After retirement, they relocated to the country on Potranco road where they lived until Jim passed away. Bernice then relocated to Leon Valley and lived there for the next thirty one years. The typical week from Leon Valley included four of five lake day trips. These may or may not involve grandkids, most of the time it did. Going to Grandma's was the highlight for all the grandkids. The lake was one adventure of many. From Chucky Cheese to Sea World it was always Grandma making the grandchildren happy. Not only were her family's kids involved she was an extended Grandma to her neighborhood. Bernice interrupted her lake trips for extended bus trips throughout the United States. As the grandchildren became older, Las Vegas appeared on her radar screen. It began with road trips and in 1989 her air travel began. She would be home today but gone tomorrow. We don't know for sure but we think she made as many as thirteen trips to Vegas in one year. Luck seemed to stay on her side. Vegas was enjoyed but the Texas Lottery did not make money on her. Pick three and Lotto Texas paid her more than she invested. Her lake trips continued and her adventures at the lake expanded. She built an addition to her lake house at 70 years of age and was upset when the contractor was going to install gutters before he painted the fascia board on the eaves of the house. She didn't ask for help, she went up on a two story tin roof by herself and painted the fascia board while hanging over the edge of the roof. After successfully painting the fascia boards she headed back to the ladder to get down and kicked the ladder, knocking it to the ground. Now she was at the lake, by herself on a hot tin roof. Things got better. She was trying to figure out how to get down off the roof without a ladder and knocked the paint can over. She couldn't get paint on her new tin roof so she took off her pants and wiped off the roof. Got the picture? Finally, she decides to attempt to drop off the roof onto an 8 inch wide cinder block wall 6 feet below the edge of the roof. She does it without incident at seventy years young. Then, her most famous feat. In August of 2003 Bernice locked herself out of her house. Rather than call for help or talk to her neighbors, she decides to get another ladder and climb into the small window in her master bath that was 6 feet off the ground and 12 inches wide. She puts one leg through the window leaned in and then fell into the bathroom. She did not reach the floor as her pants leg hooked on the window frame. This was in the afternoon in August in 100 degree weather, hanging upside down in a closed bathroom without A/C. She hung there for about five hours until a neighbor's barking dog brought the neighbor to help. She was taken to the hospital but had only bumps and bruises. All of her ladders disappeared after this episode. The spirit and energy Bernice possessed and shared motivated and guided her family. Modesty is an understatement when you try to describe her life. There was never an agenda with Bernice, what you saw was what you got. And you needed to be ready because you got it whether you wanted it or not. The family thanks all that were her friends and that touched her life. She has now embarked on her final adventure with the Lord.

Tributes

Bernice Irene Fillinger

September 9, 1919 - August 14, 2009