Bernice Wongus Young, 86

BALTIMORE - Bernice Wongus Young, 86 formerly of Cambridge, passed away on Monday, Feb. 25, 2008 at Stella Maris Hospice in Baltimore.

She was born April 25, 1921 in Salem, daughter of the late David and Amy Woolford Wongus. Bernice was educated in the public schools of Dorchester County and attended St. Clair High School. Later in life she took courses at Antioch College, now named Sojourner- Douglass College.

Bernice and Russell Arvel Young were wed in holy matrimony. From this union seven children were born and they raised two foster sons, Joseph and Charles Nelson. Bernice became a young widow in 1951, when a dump truck struck the automobile in which she and her husband were driving.

When Bernice's youngest child entered high school, she entered the work force as a Human Service Aide with the Dorchester County Department of Social Services. After 19 years of service she retired to become a part-time Home Health Aide.

She became a Christian at an early age in Wesley UM Church on the Aireys Charge. When Bernice moved to Baltimore to live with her family in Northwood, she became an associated member of St. Matthews United Methodist Church where she served as a senior usher. She was proud to have seen three generations of her family marching as ushers. Known at "Momma Young," she frequently attended Northwood-Appold United Methodist Church with her family but she never forgot her "home" church and friends of Airey Charge.

Bernice's favorite pastime was traveling all over this country whether driving or riding with others.

She is survived by three daughters, Gwendville Young, Wanda Ellington and Glenda Pinder (Edward); three sons, Carroll (Wiona), Cornell (Rubye) and Warren (Carolyn) Young; a daughter-in-law, Ethel Jackson Young; a sister, Florinda Cephas of Cleveland, Ohio; 12 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and a number of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Russell Young Jr.; foster sons, Joseph and Charles Nelson; a son-in-law, Arthur Ellington; two sisters, Helen Pinder and Gladys Jones; three brothers, Emerson, Edward and Bernard Reginald Wongus.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, at Refuge Temple Church of God, 800 Robbins St., Cambridge with a viewing two hours prior. Burial will follow in Fork Neck Cemetery.

The Henry Funeral Home, PA in Cambridge is handling the arrangements. Letters of condolence may be sent to www.henryfuneralhomepa.com.