Who is Bernice from Housekeeping and what is their importance?

Bernice is Helen's neighbor in Seattle. She is described as a woman with lavender lips and orange hair, who loves Helen, Ruth, and Lucille. Bernice works nights and babysits the girls during the day. She also conveys scandalous gossip, including some about Helen's husband and a cocktail waitress. When Bernice learns that Helen's mother is still alive, she takes the week off work and urges Helen to borrow her car and take a trip to Fingerbone so the girls can meet their grandmother. Helen drops the girls off, and then she drives Bernice's car off a cliff into the lake, killing herself.