Dorothy Bryce

Dorothy Florence Berndgen Bryce, 90, of Laurel passed away quietly on 12 May 2023 at St. John’s United Health Care, surrounded by family.

Dorothy was born on 12 October 1932 in Chicago, IL.  After moving to Minneapolis, MN, she received her education from a Catholic boarding school for girls in Fond du Lac, WI, after which she lived in Minneapolis doing clerical work.

After World War II, Dorothy met the love of her life, a dashing Scot named Anthony Bryce, who was on his way elsewhere in the world but had stopped in the Twin Cities to visit his mother and sisters, who had immigrated from England during the war. He met Dorothy, and the rest is history. They were married on 25 August 1951. In 1959 they moved with two daughters to Laurel, where they stayed and welcomed a third daughter. They relocated to Livingston in 1972 and ran the Livingston Ben Franklin Store together.   Dorothy and Anthony were married for 49 years until his passing in 1999.

Dorothy remained in Livingston with her cats and was extremely active in St. Mary’s Catholic Parish. She was on the church council and planted and maintained all the outdoor summer flowers each year. She also assisted Catholic Daughters in the kitchen and was always available for any extra task necessary.

Dorothy moved in with her daughter in Columbus in 2017 where she attended St. Michaels Catholic Church in Absarokee and moved again to The Crossings in Laurel in 2021. She loved “road trips”, especially anywhere she could see animals, and dine at good restaurants. She spent many evenings with her family discussing current events and sipping Prosecco, maintaining her sense of humor till the last.

She is survived by five generations including her brother John Berndgen, of Tallahassee, Florida; her daughters Fiona Nave of Columbus, Vicki Evanson of Livingston, and Valerie Bryce Gauthier of Churchton, Maryland; grandchildren Melanie Kossan and Philip Nave; great-grandchildren Brynn Nave, Camryn and Jason (Buddy) Kossan; and great-great-granddaughter Hayzel Hayes, all of Columbus.