Margaret Berns

Funeral services for Margaret Berns will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 9, 2009 at St. John's Catholic Church in Meire Grove with Rev. Tom Becker officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the church in Meire Grove.

Margaret Mary Berns age 87, of Belgrade died peacefully in her sleep on April 7, 2009 at Pine Villa Care Center in Melrose. She was born in Bluffton, MN on December 18, 1921, the oldest of three sisters. She lived and worked on the family farm her first twenty years. With a sense of adventure, she traveled and worked for ten years in Glacier Park, MT; Spokane, WA; and Pomona, CA, where she met Joseph Berns. They married in 1952 and moved to the family farm near Elrosa, MN where Joe was born. She devoted her life to her family and lived there until her health gave out in August 2008. All of Margaret's love and energy was centered on her husband and their seven children. She had a gift for baking, canning, sewing, quilting, and an incredible vegetable garden. She was creative in her use of limited resources. Margaret treasured her children and her grandchildren. We feel fortunate that she has taught us the value of hard-work, the appreciation of adventure in life, and the simplicity and beauty that nature endlessly holds and, most importantly, the priority and importance of family.

Survivors include her children, Dennis Berns of Minnetonka, David Berns of Elrosa, Doreen (Mike) Stockman of Minneapolis, Duane (Jane) Berns of Sauk Centre, Doris (Michael) Anderson of Chanhassen, Dale (Susan) Berns of Golden Valley, and Diane (Walt Johnson) Berns of Minnetonka; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and sister, Eleanor Berns of Sauk Centre.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Anna (Hammes) Bauer; husband, Joseph Berns; and sister, JoAnn Hendrickx.

Serving as casket bearers will be her children, Dennis, David, Doreen, Duane, Doris, Dale, and Diane. Serving as cross bearer will be Grace Anderson and scripture bearer will be Elizabeth Anderson. Reader will be Raine Remy de Campeau (Stockman).