Bernice Layne Brown

Who was Bernice Layne Brown?

Bernice E. Layne Brown was the wife of former Governor of California Edmund "Pat" Brown and the mother to former and current governor Jerry Brown.

Bernice Layne was born on November 19, 1908, in Los Angeles, California, to Allis and Arthur Layne. She married future California governor Pat Brown on October 30, 1930, and had four children: Jerry, Kathleen, Cynthia, and Barbara.

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 and died in 2002 aged 93.