Quick Facts
Biography
Bernice E. Layne Brown (November 19, 1908 – May 9, 2002) was the wife of former Governor of California Edmund "Pat" Brown and the mother of former and current governor Jerry Brown.
Bernice Layne was born on November 19, 1908, in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Alice (née Cuneo) and Arthur Layne. She married future California governor Pat Brown on October 30, 1930, and had four children: Jerry, Kathleen, Cynthia, and Barbara (all born in San Francisco).
She became first lady of California after her husband defeated William Knowland in 1958. While there, she was known for being a great speaker, often involving 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.
Bernice lived to see her son Jerry serve two terms as governor (1975-1983) and died May 9, 2002 at age 93.