Bernice Caroline [Leland] Hennessy, age 93, of Dartmouth, MA died March 2, 2012 at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford.
She was born May 6, 1918 in Lowell, MA to Melvin A. and Grace Emery Leland. She graduated Woburn High School, MA. She was married in 1936 to George S. Hoye of South Framingham (Southboro), MA and divorced in 1941. She remarried May 7, 1960 and is survived by her loving husband of 52 years, William D. Hennessy of Dartmouth, MA, her son George S. Hoye and his partner Alexander Kruedener-Struve of Jamaica, VT, her brother Everett G. Leland and his partner Shirley White of FL and NH, brother Robert R. Leland of Groton, MA and sister Ruth Layton and her husband David of New Salem, MA as well as grandchildren: Michael Hoye and his wife Shannon and great grandchild Charlie Hoye of Palos Verdes Estates, CA, Karen Grandoli and her husband Fabian and great grandchildren Thomas, Emily and Owen Grandoli of Paso Robles, CA and grandchild Steven Hoye of Los Angeles. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and longtime family friend, Nancy Haskell of Manchester, MA. Always a hard worker and perfectionist, she worked at many jobs, including nursing, and at Sylvania Electric in Woburn, MA where she won an award for devising a much improved cleaning process for electrical circuits that provided faster, more efficient, quality control. At University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth she held a few positions and assisted her husband in setting up lab equipment in the Physics Department. She enjoyed playing golf, horse races, swimming and reading. She was always a special and wonderful mother while supporting her two children and working full time. She is predeceased by her son, David Leland Hoye, of Stoneham, MA, Palos Verdes Estates and Port Heuneme, CA who died in 2007 and his wife Evelyn M. (Gilbride) who died in 1993. Leland brothers who have predeceased her are: Douglas M., Harold A., Arthur M., Chester A., Vernon S., Marshall E. and Kenneth P. Two other brothers, Allen Frederick and Warren F. gave their lives for their country during WWII. There will be no visiting hours and internment will be at the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne, MA 02532. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to UNICEF.