Berkel Family Website

Verna Dorothy Brice-Leonce - the third of eight children - was born on
January 12, 1945 to the late St. Ville Brice and Ruby Berkel-Brice on the
island of St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles.
In 1951, she traveled with her parents to the island of St. Lucia . There she
attended the Micoud S D.A. Elementary School, Verna accepted Jesug Christ
as her personal savior and was baptized at the tender age of nvehve
In 1958, Verna along with her sister Muriel, went back to St. Eustatius to
reside for a short while with their maternal grandparents. In 1964, she
migrated to New York City to join her Aunt Vera Berkel-Spellman, On
September 2, 1973, she married George Leonce
Verna continued her education while working and eventually earned a R.N.
AAS Degree from Bronx Community College, and later earned a B.A Degree
in Psychology from Lehman College. She rendered 25 years of service to
The Renaissance Health Care Network after a brief transfer to Harlem
Hospital she retired on December 31, 1997.
Since her arrival to News York City, she has served Ephesus S.D.A. Church as
a choir member of both the Ephesus Youth and the Collegiate Choir. She is
especially noted for her many years of service in the Personal Ministries and
Treasury Departments. She currently served as teacher and superintendent
of the Primary and Junior Divisions of the Sabbath School Department.
One of Verna's main objectives was to help her siblings enhance their
quality of living, and therefore, helped them to come to the United States
Verna loved her Lord and lived her lifestyle in accordance with her
conviction. Although she had no children of her own, she became matriarch
to all her nieces and nephews. She always reminded them in no uncertain
terms about the "straight and narrow path
On Saturday, January 17, 1998, Verna peacefully fell asleep in Jesus. She
will be missed by her immediate family, church family and friends.
Verna is survived by her husband - George; mother - Ruby; sisters - Muriel
and Vera; brothers - James, Remus and, Samuel; 12 nephews; 7 nieces; 7
uncles; 3 aunts; 2 great nieces - who remember her lovingly as "Auntie
Verna"; a host of cousins, in-laws, family and friends - too numerous to
mention.