Bernice Anna Pawlowski, age 99 years, of Farmington Hills, passed away September 5, 2024. She was born July 12, 1925, in Hamtramck, Michigan, to Andrew and Zosia (Felczak) Baranski.

Bernice was the devoted wife of Richard Pawlowski for 77 wonderful years, until his passing on August 12, 2023. Loving mother of Janice (the late David) Allard, Richard (Cindy) Pawlowski, and Marilyn (Jim) Rollinger. Dear grandmother of Ryan Allard, Devon (April) Allard, Nicole (David) Majer, Jonathon Pawlowski, Jacob Rollinger, Olivia Rollinger, and Natalie Rollinger. Great-grandmother of Austin, Leah, and Eli Majer, and Ainsely Allard. 

Bernice was born and raised in Hamtramck, in a tight knit Polish community with many aunts, uncles, and cousins living near in the community. Some of Bernice’s cousins even lived on the same street, and she loved that. Bernice often recalled the fun Sundays their families had, first going to Catholic mass in the morning, and then each family being ferried to Warsaw Park for picnics by the one uncle who owned a car. She said it would take hours to get everyone to the park. In Bernice’s immediate family, she had one brother, Ted (Stephanie) Baranski, and two sisters, Mary (William) Maciejka, and Jennie (Al) Helchowski. When Bernice was in her early 20’s her father passed away, and a few years later her mother married her husband’s brother who had been widowed. At that time, her cousins, Richard Baranski, and Irene (Chester) Maslanka, became her step brother and sister. 

Bernice attended school from kindergarten through 8th grade at St. Ladislaus Catholic School. She then transferred to and graduated from Hamtramck High School. After high school Bernice worked at Long Manufacturing on a comptometer (a type of adding machine). Bernice met Richard at a movie theater in Hamtramck where he worked, and they were married in a big Polish wedding on June 22, 1946. Richard and Bernice built a house in Detroit where they lived for 17 years, and were members of St. Bartholomew Catholic Church. In 1977 they built a house in Sterling Heights, where they lived for 42 years, and they were very active in St. Frances de Chantal Catholic Parish. During her marriage, Bernice stated her occupation was that of “Domestic Engineer”. When their children married, and had their own children, both Bernice and Richard loved being grandparents. They also loved the spouses of her children like they were her own. Bernice would always say her “special interests” were her children and grandchildren, extended family, and friends. As recently said by a cousin, “She never sat down…a true proud Polish woman doing everything she could for her family and friends”. Bernice became the matriarch in her extended family as she outlived all of her siblings and their spouses. Everyone in the extended family will always remember the huge Polish Christmas Eve parties held at the home of Bernice and Richard. They moved to Halsted Place Senior Apartments, in Farmington Hills, near their daughter, Marilyn, after Bernice had a stroke in 2018. Bernice became well loved by the staff and the residents at Halsted Place even though she could not speak, write or walk. She still managed to convey kindness and love to everyone she encountered. The staff often commented on how determined and strong they found Bernice to be, especially when it came to the needs of her husband, Richard.

Bernice will be dearly missed by so many people. She was a loving mother and grandmother, dedicated friend and neighbor, beloved aunt, and hard-working human. She loved deeply. As Olivia said in her middle school project about her grandmother, Bernice Pawlowski, “The life of a woman dedicated to her family”. Family basically included everyone she knew. 

Visitation for Bernice Pawlowski will be held on Wednesday, September 11th, from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at McCabe Funeral Home, 31950 W. 12 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills. She will lie in state on Thursday, September 12th, at 10:30 a.m., until the time of her Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m., at St. Fabian Catholic Church, 32200 W. 12 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills. Bernice will be laid to rest in Resurrection Cemetery, 18201 Clinton River Rd., Clinton Township, following the Funeral Mass. Friends and family are invited to a lunch served after the cemetery service at Fern Hill Golf Club Banquet Hall, 17600 Clinton River Road.

Memorial donations may be made in Bernice’s name directed to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen Detroit, the Pope Francis Center in downtown Detroit, or the Michigan Humane Society.