Bernice Layne Brown

Bernice E. Layne Brown (November 19, 1908 – May 9, 2002) was the wife of the 32nd Governor of California Edmund "Pat" Brown and the mother of the 34th and 39th governor of California, Jerry Brown.

Bernice Layne Brown
First Lady of California
In role
January 5, 1959 – January 2, 1967
GovernorPat Brown
Preceded byVirginia Piergue Knight
Succeeded byNancy Reagan
Personal details
Born
Bernice E. Layne

(1908-11-19)November 19, 1908
San Francisco, California, U.S.
DiedMay 9, 2002(2002-05-09) (aged 93)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Edmund "Pat" Brown (m. 1930–1996; his death)
ChildrenBarbara Layne, Cynthia Arden, Edmund Gerald Jr., Kathleen Lynn

Bernice Layne was born on November 19, 1908 in San Francisco, California, the daughter of Alice (née Cuneo) and Arthur Layne.[1][2] Future governor Pat Brown had been three years ahead of her in the same high school, and in spite of her parents's misgivings about her youth, Brown was allowed to begin seeing her socially when she was 13. A 1928 graduate of University of California, Berkeley, she began a career in teaching, in an era when women teachers were put on a 3-year probation that denied them the right to marry until their 4th year in the profession. Choosing love over a career, Bernice and Pat ran off to Reno, Nevada and married on October 30, 1930. They had four children: Jerry, Kathleen, Cynthia and Barbara, all born in San Francisco.[3]

Bernice Brown became first lady of California after her husband defeated William Knowland in 1958. She was known for being a great speaker, and often made references to family life. In 1962, her husband was elected to a second term, defeating Richard Nixon. Pat Brown's bid for a third term in 1966 ended in defeat to future U.S President Ronald Reagan.[3]

She lived to see her son Jerry serve two terms as governor (1975-1983), and died May 9, 2002 at age 93.[3]

References
  1. "Governors of California - Bernice Brown".
  2. "Bernice E Layne, Born 11/19/1908 in California - CaliforniaBirthIndex.org".
  3. Reich, Kenneth; Malnic, Eric (May 11, 2002). "Bernice Layne Brown, 93; Devote Matriarh of a Political Dynasty". The Los Angeles Times – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . p. 67. Retrieved February 25, 2018.


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