Bernadine L. McNiel

Bernadine L. McNiel died peacefully at home while being wheeled in by daughter Peggy to watch the Dallas Cowboys game (which they won) on Sunday, December 09, 2018 at the age of 93. She was born in Munday, Texas, Nov.3, 1925. EDUCATION: She graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a B.A. in Speech in 1945. She then achieved a M.S in Speech Pathology from UTEP in 1978. CAREER: She was one of the original speech pathologists in the El Paso Public Schools and a co-founder of the El Paso Speech and Hearing Association in 1963. She began working in the EPISD in 1946, took some years off to have children and then retired in 1987. ASSOCIATIONS: She was a founder in 1952 of Court Mother Cabrini Catholic Daughters of the Americas and served as Regent. She was also a member of the Texas Retired Teachers Association and the Altar Society of Saint Patrick Cathedral. FAMILY: She was preceded in death by her parents Felix and Ethel Ledwig, her husband of 57 years, Guy Brett McNiel, son Stephen McNiel, and great-grandchild Capriella Hedgepeth, sister Florence Ware and brother Jerry Ledwig. She is survived by her daughter, Peggy, her daughter Lisa and her husband Larry Welsh, their children, Megan and Patrick, granddaughter Jennifer McNiel and her son Dayton Hedgpeth and her brother, Ralph Ledwig and her sister Elaine Chapman. Services: A Visitation and Vigil Service was held on Sunday, December 16, at Sunset Funeral Home West. The Funeral Mass was held on Monday, December 17, at Saint Patrick Cathedral. Internment followed at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. Please visit our online registry book at www.sunsetfuneralhomes.net. CONTRIBUTIONS may be made in memory of Bernadine L. McNiel to the UTEP Speech Language Pathology Gift Fund. Contact Sandra Lopez-Serio at 915-747-8230 or online, giving to.utep.edu.