Bernice Layne Brown was the wife of former Governor of California

Governor of California

The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...

 Edmund "Pat" Brown

Pat Brown

Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. was the 32nd Governor of California, serving from 1959 to 1967, and the father of current Governor of California Jerry Brown.-Background:...

 and the mother to former and current governor Jerry Brown

Jerry Brown

Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...

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Bernice Layne was born on November 19, 1908, in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

, to Arthur and Allis Layne. She married future California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 governor Pat Brown on October 20, 1930, and eventually had four children: Jerry, Kathleen, Cynthia and Barbara.

She became first lady of California after her husband defeated William Knowland in 1958

California gubernatorial election, 1958

-General election results:California was considered a Republican stronghold in the post-World War II era, electing republican governors Earl Warren and Goodwin Knight, as well as senators Richard Nixon, William Knowland, and Thomas Kuchel. Knowland was a prestgious two term Senator who had served...

. While there, she was known for being a great speaker, often involving family life. In 1962

California gubernatorial election, 1962

The California gubernatorial election, 1962 was held on November 6, 1962. The Democratic incumbent, Pat Brown, ran for re-election against former Vice President Richard Nixon...

, her husband was elected to a second term, defeating Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon

Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...

. Pat Brown's bid for a third term in 1966

California gubernatorial election, 1966

The California gubernatorial election, 1966 was held on November 8, 1966. The election was a contest between incumbent Governor Pat Brown, the Democratic candidate, and actor Ronald Reagan, the Republican candidate. Reagan mobilized conservative voters and defeated Brown in a...

 ended in defeat to future U.S President Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

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Bernice lived to see her son Jerry serve two terms as governor (1975-1983) and died in 2002 aged 93.