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Bernice Henrietta Quass Wegner died on Saturday, June 19, 2010 at Parkview Nursing and Rehab Center in Waterloo,Black Hawk county, Iowa. Her remains were cremated and were buried at the Greenwood Cemetery, east of Westgate, Fayette county, Iowa on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 23, 2010, with only immediate family in attendance. She was placed to rest beside her former husband, Ralph, two of her 5 sons, Ricke and Rande and a grand-daughter, Rochelle Wegner. A memorial service was held at 5:00pm the same day at St. John's Lutheran Church in nearby Fairbank, Fayette county, Iowa with family, relatives and friends attending. Rev. Dean F. Rothchild officiated both services.
Bernice suffered a severe stroke 10 days before her passing. It is believed she suffered another stroke causing her death, although her cause of death is listed as 'natural causes'.
Bernice loved working outdoors. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, refinishing furniture and baking. She will be remembered for her love of family and her homemade bread and rolls. She was active in St John's Church, Dorcas Circle, choir, Tourist Club, Friendship Club and card club.
She and her husband Ralph Wegner, began farming his father's farm between Randalia and Sumner, Iowa, shortly after they were married, moving to a farm east of Fairbank, Iowa in 1952 where they lived and farmed until they retired to Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas in 1992. She returned to Waterloo, Iowa in 1996, divorcing Ralph about a year later.
Bernice graduated from Randalia High School in 1944. She was an excellent student and athlete in girls' basketball, and played trumpet in the band. Her school nickname was 'stringbean' as she was tall and thin, very athletic.
She married Ralph W. Wegner at a private ceremony in the home of her parents' farm a few miles west of Randalia with her sister Lucille as maid of honor. Only immediate family was present at the ceremony. The Rev. Grant of the Methodist Church in Randalia performed the ceremony.
Bernice always had a ready smile, a gentle manner and sense of humor and a way with children. Her duties growing up were helping with the gardening, milking cows, caring for the chickens and helping separate the cream from the milk using a manually operated separator in the farmhouse basement. She also began her baking and sewing skills then.
This information was derived from her obituary, her marriage license, and the memory of her nephew, Ken W. Quass who began to know her when he was living with his grandparents on the Randalia farm for a year while attending Kindergarten and First Grade at Randalia Public School. Ken also attended her memorial service in Fairbank and was in an adjoining room during the wedding ceremony of Bernice and Ralph. Submitted by Ken W. Quass.
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