Beatrice Lydia Breinling

Beatrice Lydia Breinling, 92, of St. Joseph left this earth on Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at Lakeland Hospital. She now rests in God’s hands. Funeral services celebrating her life will be held at 11 AM on Monday, Oct. 13, at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Benton Harbor with Rev. Nathan Fager officiating. Burial will be at North Shore Memory Gardens. Visitation will be held from 2 PM to 5 PM on Sunday at the Dey-Florin Chapel of Florin Funeral Service in St. Joseph. Memorial donations may be made to St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church or Michigan Lutheran High School. Please share memories, messages and photos at www.florin.net. Bea was born to Chester and Lydia (Biastock) Carley on April 8, 1922. She was raised on the family farm on Dutch Lane in Sodus. Bea was a proud 1940 graduate of Benton Harbor High School, a member of the Tigers Marching Band, Tiger Orchestra, the Benton Harbor Girls Band, the Girl Reserves, the Football Sisters, a Big Sister and the Basketball Sisters. Bea and high school friends Ben Mamina and Don Humphrey formed a band trio and performed at dances and at the Clay Street Baptist Church. In 1953, Bea married her special sailor, John Herbert Breinling. She kept the home fires burning while John started his Real Estate and Insurance business. Together they raised 3 sons to be good Christian husbands and fathers. Bea was a very active member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. She held offices in the Altar Guild, was a room mother, and helped with funeral dinners. Bea worked at the A & P Grocery Store in Benton Harbor and was the personnel director at Remington-Rand. When her boys went to school, Bea began working in the Fairplain Junior High Cafeteria. Later she worked at the Hall of Cards and Books in Fairplain. Bea also volunteered in the lunch room at Mercy Hospital. Bea loved playing bridge, golfing, cheering for the Cubs, traveling with John, and picnics on the beach with her family and friends. Bea is survived by her husband of 61 years, John; her 3 sons, Thomas (Carol) of Ada, MI, Jeffery (Cheryl) of Stevensville, and Mark of Grandville, MI; her grandchildren, Heather (Ryan) Imler, Craig (Tina) Breinling, Scott (Amber) Breinling, Ashley (David) Fouch, Rick Breinling and Aaron Breinling; and her 2 Step-grandchildren, Nicole and Andrew Mikkelsen. Bea loved to hold and cradle her 4 great-grandchildren, Mackenzie, Cooper, Sullivan and Aubrie and her 2 step-great grandchildren, Taylor and Shelby. Bea was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Helen Davis. She was loved and will be missed by her family and friends

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Beatrice Lydia Breinling

April 8, 1922 - October 8, 2014