In Memoriam: Bernita May Dodge, A Vibrant Life of Art and Love

Bernita May Dodge, an extraordinary artist and devoted matriarch, passed away peacefully in her sleep at the Golden Empire Nursing and Rehab Center in Grass Valley, California, on July 29, 2023, at age 89, following a bout of COVID-19. She had spent the day surrounded by her loving family. A little while after they left her room, she slipped away gently, as always shielding her own pain from those she loved.

Bernita was born to Beulah May Alsbury and Nile Terwilliger in 1934. She was raised in the quaint town of Benkelman, Nebraska, by Orville and Lavern Tanner.
Bernita’s zest for life was evident from an early age. In her high school years, the petite girl graced the marching band with her talent, playing the tuba with unparalleled passion. Fate smiled upon her when she met the love of her life, Roger Dodge, at the local soda fountain where she worked. Roger, a young photographer working at the newspaper across the street, was enchanted by her milkshake-making skills, and their love story began to blossom. They exchanged vows on Feb. 20, 1954, and embarked on an adventurous journey through life together.

They lived in a number of places, but three of Bernita’s favorites were the California towns of Stinson Beach, Campbell, and Manteca. In Manteca, Roger built a unique triangular house, a testament to Bernita’s creative genius as she designed the home with love and care. She treasured the wild setting of their home in Penn Valley, where they lived for the past 23 years, and often depicted the gorgeous golden colors of her rural surroundings in her art.

Bernita was an artist at heart, and her passion for art knew no bounds. Whether it was oil painting, acrylics, watercolors, or batik, her creations breathed life onto the canvas fabric, and paper. Even as she welcomed her beloved children, Daryn, Dani, and Deena, into the world, she continued to pursue her passion for art, filling their childhoods with memories of her studio and art projects they “helped” with. As they grew and had children of their own, her work would inspire two generations to pursue creative careers of their own, leading to many holidays where talks of art could be heard filling the halls of her home, and exchanges of gifts often included recent artistic pursuits.

Throughout her vibrant life, Bernita’s sketchbook was her constant companion, capturing the essence of her inspirations and thoughts. A scholarship to Arrowmont in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in June 1982, unveiled a new realm of creativity in silk painting, a mesmerizing blend of colors and fabric that fascinated Bernita for over three decades and led to many bolts of silk bearing her artistic touch. Over her life she had numerous exhibitions of her work, was represented by several different galleries and showed at prestigious locations such as the Bakersfield Museum of Art and the Morris Graves Museum of Art. Her paintings, inspired by sketches and photographs, found appreciative homes, even that of the legendary Phyllis Diller.

Traveling ignited her soul, and one of her most cherished trips was to Italy in 1998, where she and Roger were serenaded while floating along the Venetian canals in a gondola. New York would also come to hold a special place in her heart when she and Roger visited five years in a row, staying for an entire month each time so Bernita could enroll in classes at the prestigious New York Student Art League.

As the years passed, Bernita developed a love for abstract design. In the last decade, she refined her abstraction skills through classes at the Art League, initially in person, and later online with the celebrated New York painter Pat Lipsky. Her abstract paintings reflected the boundless depths of her creativity.
Through her remarkable artistic journey, Bernita’s unwavering love for her family remained her foundation. A devoted mother and wife, she delighted in making tea for her husband and a warm loving home for her family. She also supported Roger and his land surveying business with her administrative skills.

She was a constant champion and comforter for her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren during life’s trials, never allowing anything to get in the way of supporting their journeys. In mid-June, she and Roger drove from their home in Penn Valley to Ashland, Oregon, to celebrate their granddaughter’s graduation with a graduate degree in nursing. During the visit, her saucy spirit was evidenced by a hike through the town’s famed Lithia Park. Instead of following the trails to a Japanese garden, she took a “short-cut” scrambling right up a grassy hillside, much to the chagrin of her daughter.
Her warm and amiable nature endeared her to everyone, so much so that even the nurses at the hospital caring for her in her last days told her and her family that she was their favorite patient and clearly a special person. She has many lifelong friends who she cherished, and who cherished her.

As we bid farewell to Bernita May Dodge, let us celebrate the vibrant hues of her life and the immeasurable impact she made on those fortunate enough to know her. In the tapestry of her existence, Bernita’s colors will forever blend with the memories and love of her family and friends. May she rest in eternal peace, her kindness and creative spirit forever inspiring our hearts.

She is survived by her husband, Roger Dodge; son, Daryn Dodge; daughters Dani Dodge Medlin and Deena Johnson; grandchildren Tiffany Allen, John Dodge, Jessica Alexander, and Marcus Dodge; great grandchildren Etta May Allen and David Roger Dodge Munoz; and brother, Bill Terwilliger.

Bernita will have a private memorial later this year and her ashes will be taken home to Nebraska next Spring.