Bernice Shae left her poor earthly body and flew away shortly after 11:00 a.m. on December 28 at Bethel Home with family around her.

Bernice was born October 8, 1932 on the family farm at Battleview, ND to Clarence N. and Bertha (Rasmussen) Estby, the fourth of five children. She received her education at Battleview. In 1950 she moved to Milwaukee where she worked in a factory assembling components for weather balloons. In 1952 she and her uncle Walter and cousin Clarice went to Coalinga, CA where Bernice stayed with her sister Harriet and husband Lon for part of the winter, seeing the sights and taking it easy. She and Clarice moved to Santa Maria where they had an apartment and Bernice waitressed in a truck stop. In 1953 they traveled to New York and took in all the sights and made many friends. She returned to North Dakota in 1954 due to her dad not being well. She got a job in Williston at Wong’s Café where she met her first husband, Rodric G. Belgarde. They married July 26, 1954 and two children were born to them. They lived in Tioga, at her parent’s farm in in the second house, and then moved to Williston in 1957. Bernice worked at Ditsworth’s Charcoal Grille. They divorced in 1963. She had met John Shae, Sr. and his mother, Margaret Britton, and together they purchased the Charcoal Grille in 1965. John and Bernice married on October 3, 1966. One child was born to them. They sold the café in 1972 and bought a dairy farm where they milked 40 cows twice a day for seven years. That was Bernice’s favorite job. John passed away in 1991. She was later the assistant Food Services Director at the Kensington in Williston for 17 years, with the last 9 of those being the Food Services Director.

She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2005 but maintained her independence up until 2009 when she moved into the Briarwood. While there, she made great friends with the cook who would let her help out, utilizing her amazing cooking and baking talents. Even after she moved into Bethel Home due to her declining health, she continued to be involved with cooking, being on the Resident Food Council. She was a member of the Muddy Valley Homemakers from 1968 until they disbanded in 2011, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Her interests other than her family included cooking and baking, needlepoint, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, cards, 6-5-4, music, gardening, and growing flowers.

She was preceded in death by both parents; brother, Kermit Estby; sisters, Mavis Augustine and Harriet Judd; her husband, Lon; granddaughter, Jodi Belgarde; step-daughter, Cynthia Shae Andre and step- grandson Clancy John Andre.

She is survived by her daughter; Karolee 'Kell' Belgarde Ferrell and Allen of Alamo, ND; her sons, Rocky Belgarde and Nyle of Williston and Jerry Shae of Williston; sister, Kaye Schnock and Bill of Diamond Bar, CA; sister-in-law, Berget Estby of Portland, OR; step-daughter, Sandra Shae Horob and friend Dan of Minot, ND; four grandsons, six granddaughters, two great grandsons, four great granddaughters, six nephews, three nieces and special cousin Clarice Sanders, as well as many extended family members and friends who miss her already.

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