Mrs. Bernice Shook Czaja, 89, formerly of 234 Highland Ave. Pittsfield died Saturday at Hillcrest Commons where she resided since February of 2000. Born in Pittsfield on December 4, 1916 she was a daughter of the late Joseph and Rozalia Stodulski Wierzbicki with whom she went back to Poland with at age four. She was educated in Poland schools until the age of fifteen when she came back to the United States with her family. She was also educated in Broadbrook, CT. She lived most of her life in Pittsfield and she had also lived in Housatonic at one time. She married her first husband, the late Paul J. Shook on December 6, 1933, he died in 1959. She married her second husband, the late Peter C. Czaja in January of 1980. He died in 1992. Mrs. Czaja was a hairdresser for seventeen years and owned and operated her own shop, Bernice's Beauty Salon on North St. and on South Street in Pittsfield. She retired in 1980. She was a communicant of Holy Family Church and a member of the Polish Falcons of America and the Polish Community Club. She enjoyed gardening and dancing. She also enjoyed the culinary arts and cooking of which her family greatly enjoyed. She leaves a daughter, Victoria Pulaski of Binghamton, NY, a son, Robert J. Shook of Pittsfield and three stepsons, Peter Czaja and Paul Czaja both of Housatonic, MA and Joseph Czaja of the State of Ohio. She also leaves a sister, Antoinette Pinardi of Wethersfield, CT. Four grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son, the late Joseph Shook who died in 1954.

FUNERAL NOTICE: Funeral services for Bernice Shook Czaja, 89, of Pittsfield who died July 22, 2006 will be held Tuesday at 9:15 AM from the DERY FUNERAL HOME followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM at St. Charles Church celebrated by the Rev. Peter Gregory, pastor. Burial will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Monday from 4 to 7 PM at the Dery Funeral Home in Pittsfield. Mrs. Czaja will be greatly missed by her four grandchildren, Sharon, Richard and Kathleen Pulaski and Ryan Shook. She was predeceased by a son, the late Joseph Shook who died in 1954. She was also predeceased by a brother, the late Henry Kowalczyk and by two sisters, Sophie Yanishewsky and Helen Patten.

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