MAMA BERNICE
In the August 1982 issue of the Cascade Voice newspaper on page 42 Paula Nielsen wrote a column entitled Thoughts From Paula. Paula began to write a series called “Colorful Personalities”. This is a first in a series for this column highlighting on personalities in the community.
MAMA BERNICE – EVERYBODY’S MOTHER.
During the 50’s servicemen migrated toward a bar called “Dinty Moore’s’ in downtown Portland. One of the stellar attractions for them was a lady who worked behind the bar called “Mama Bemice” who always listened to their troubles and helped them work through their loneliness and homesickness. Long before she became involved in Portland’s gay community, Bernice was considered “mother” by scores of people. Dinty Moore’s was “straight” in those days although, according to Mama, it “got kind of gay at the end.”
Everyone, it seems, needs a “mother image” they can relate to. Gays and straights alike who, for whatever reason, are not understood by their natural mother, or whose mother is no longer living, will usually be attracted toward some “mother figure” with whom they can relate. A warm and loving bosom—someone to tell “everything” to in confidence—someone who “understand”-we all have that instinctive need. And for years servicemen found that need fulfilled in Mama Bernice and so it is not at all surprising that Mama Bernice’s heart full of mother-love spilled over into the gay community. In fact, even those who have a good rapport with their natural mother’s cling to and love Mama Bernice.
While THE VANESSA fulfills a “Granny” image for the community, and DARCELLE XV is fondly called “Mom” by hundreds of people, Mama Bernice has been “mother to more people than just about , anybody in Portland.”
The Other Inn, where Mama Bernice worked for many years until its recent closure, has hopes of reopening in the same location even though the building may be torn down inasmuch as the Mormon church has purchased the property and wants to build a hotel there. Nonetheless, May says, “I’m not through working yet – I will definitely go to work for another gay bar soon. I prefer gay bars to straight bars – they are much less hassle. And I just love being a mother to the kids.” Wherever Mama Bernice does end up working you can be rest assured that her very presence alone will attract people to that particular bar.
Proclaimed as the permanent “mother” to the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court, Mama Bernice travels to many out-of-town coronations. For example, she goes to San Francisco twice yearly, and Reno once a year. Hundreds all up and down the West Coast know, love, and respect her. In fact, she is one of the most highly respected people in the community and she has earned that respect just being kind, understanding and loving. [This is portion of the article]
Mama Bernice Supported Community 35 Years
Margaret Bernice Norris, known to thousands in the Gay community as "Mama Bernice" died Sunday, February 9, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland of natural causes. She was 70 years old and had been in ill health for the past year.
Mama Bernice was born July 10, 1915, in Eugene and moved to Portland with her parents while a young girl. She attended Ockley Green Grade School and graduated from Girls Polytechnic High School
Her career as a bartender and involvement with the Gay and Lesbian community began in 1949 when she started working at Dinty Moore’s Tavern on SW 3rd.
The tavern was owned by her mother was popular with sailors and dock workers, although it was not specifically identified as gay establishment. With the closure of downtown port facilities in the 1950s the tavern began attracting larger gay clientele and by 1960 was almost totally gay.
According to Mama Bernice's daughter Gail Kennedy, from 1960 on her mother was completely involved in Gay community activities.
After Dinty Moore’s changed ownership, Mama Bernice worked for several years in the mid-1960s at another tavern named “Mama Bernice’s” in her honor and in 1965 began working at working at The Other Inn on Alder St.
Mama Bernice tended bar at the Other Inn for 17 years until its closing in 1982. In 1984 Kennedy purchased the Dirty Duck Tavern where Mama Bernice worked occasionally until her death.
Throughout her involvement with the Gay community, she was known for her love, compassion, cooking, and forthright attitude.
Her potato salad, prepared frequently in huge quantities became a legendary staple at tavern events and community picnics. She always greeted her friends and customers with a friendly, “How ya doing honey” and was always inquiring and concerned about friends she had not seen lately.
Her work with the court earned her the permanent title of “Queen Mother to the Imperial Rose Court” and during her tenure the Other Inn and the Dirty Duck were home bars to the Portland Chapter of the Knights of Malta.
In addition to her work with the Gay community, Mama Bernice was active in working with handicap ped and retarded children, for many years, serving as a driver.
She is survived by three daughters and one son and was preceded in death by a daughter last year. She had 17 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Services were held Thursday, February 13 in Portland and burial was at Willamette National Cemetery.
Mama’s Bluebirds
Mama Bernice always called her Gay friends her "bluebirds: ·But why?
According to a longtime friend, the "bluebird" expression began in the mid-1960s when she was working at Mama Bernice's Tavern and some of the patrons organized a weekend excursion to the coast.
As interest in the event grew someone suggested chartering a bus. One of the organizers called a bus company to charter the bus and was asked what kind of a group it was.
Afraid to say it was a gay group, he supposedly blurted out, "Oh, it's just a bunch of bluebirds."
With that, Mama Bernice had become the mother of her flock of bluebirds and handed out small bluebird pins to many of her friends. A collection of ceramic bluebirds grew over the years at the Other Inn, and Mama continued to refer to her friends as her bluebirds.
Taken from City News Feb 14, 1986, page 3 – no credit is given to whom authored the piece
The City Open Press newspaper, February/March 1987
Below is the hand written notes by Walter W Cole/Darcelle XV for the service.
Article Left from The Eagle, June 1, 1985
Article left is from City Open Press February 14 - March 13, 1986
Below, a button with Mama Bernice photo
