Gretchen Louise (Hummel) Berny

Gretchen Louise Hummel Berny, age 79, beloved and devoted wife, mother and grandmother passed away at her home on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. She was married to her husband Glenn T. Berny for 56 years and was quite simply the best wife and mother a husband/son could have. Gretchen was born in Middletown, Ohio in 1943 to Ralph and Winifred Hummel and grew up on a farm in nearby Germantown, Ohio. Gretchen, along with her three siblings (Dick, Ted & Wynelle) was instilled with a work ethic that could only be learned from long workdays on a farm. Gretchen graduated from Fenwick High School in 1961 and was awarded the Sister Mary Daniel Twohig scholarship to attend Good Samaritan School of Nursing (Dayton, Ohio) where she graduated in 1964 and became a Registered Nurse. While attending Fenwick High, she received the top honor in home economics, the conduct merit certificate and a gold scholastic medal for having attained honor student status every grading period during her four years in High School.

She met her husband Glenn (a Pittsburgh native), who had been attending Miami of Ohio in nearby Oxford, Ohio. After marrying Glenn in October of 1966, she gave birth to their two sons, Tim (1968) and David (1969). Gretchen became a full time and devoted mom, for several years, looking after two active boys. After living for a few years in Ohio and Michigan, the Berny family undertook the great adventure and moved south to Stone Mountain, Georgia in 1975.

The south became their home, and their family watched Atlanta grow. Gretchen worked at Dekalb General Hospital for over 20 years, primarily as a Labor & Delivery Nurse. She refused to be idle, on the rare occasion that no mothers were delivering babies and would restock supplies and/or fold needed towels and linens in preparation for the next birth.

Gretchen loved the outdoors and enjoyed spending hours picking weeds, raking leaves, picking up acorns, working with rocks and planting flowers. Each of her neighbors could testify to this, as she was frequently seen outside working.

Gretchen was extremely meticulous in her record keeping, keeping a record of all expenditures over 30+ years (which rubbed off on her sons as both earned their CPA certificates). She was also especially thrifty and would rarely purchase an item unless on sale, and seldom make a purchase for herself. A sense of excitement would overcome her if she found a stray penny, nickel, dime or quarter in a parking lot or sidewalk. Gretchen spent years researching our family genealogy and her work was enjoyed and appreciated by the entire family. She also found great pleasure doing excellent work refinishing furniture.

In 1989, with her sons off to college, the family moved to Cumming, Georgia and would make Cumming their permanent home. The greatest thrill for Gretchen was the arrival of her four (4) grandchildren which she was blessed with (Kelsey, Katherine, William and Ansley). The time spent amongst her grandchildren was one of abundant love and joy. Gretchen was devout in her faith and demonstrated her love and compassion (the true Gospel of Christ) to her family on a daily basis. Her exceptional nature, contained in her humble manner is hard to fully express in written words. She saved several lives with her medical training and always placed other's needs (family, friends) ahead of her own.

It was her 56 years of unwavering love and dedication to her husband Glenn, and sons Tim and David, which has left an indelible mark never to be removed.

These deeds, however, are captured in Heaven, where she is joyously residing as a reward for her exemplary life.

Gretchen is preceded in death by her father Ralph Hummel and mother Winifred Hummel. She is survived by husband Glenn T. Berny, her son Tim G. Berny and his wife Kara Berny, granddaughter Kelsey Rachael VanDine and her husband Christopher VanDine, great grandson Lincoln Christopher VanDine, granddaughter Katherine Louise Berny, son David G. Berny and his wife Velena Berny, grandson William Glenn Berny and granddaughter Ansley Kristine Berny.

Gretchen is also survived by her beloved brothers Richard 'Dick' Hummel and Ted Hummel, beloved sister Wynelle Hummel, beloved brother-in-law Charles Berny and beloved sister-in-law Linda Berny and numerous nieces, nephews and close friends that she considered family.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 29th, 2022, from 5:00pm - 8:00pm at McDonald and Son Funeral Home.

A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, November 30th, 2022, at 1:00pm at St. Brendan Catholic Church.

Interment will follow at Sawnee View Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Crohn's Foundation.

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