BERNS, Michael Joseph 1937-2012
BERNS, EVANS, WALROD, ALCORN, JOHNSTON, BEMISS, KANN, SCHMELZER, GRIMES, SCHNEPF, KOESTER, EVANS, DIEBOLD, HERRING
Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 8/16/2012 at 01:20:49
Michael Joseph Berns, 75, of Waterloo, died on Sunday, August 12, 2012 at the Martin Center of the Western Home in Cedar Falls.
Mike or “Coach” as he was affectionately nick-named, was born April 11, 1937 to Grace (Evans) Walrod of Garner. He was adopted and welcomed to the family of Amadeus and Viola (Matt) Berns of West Union.
Mike married Linda Lee Alcorn on November 21, 1954 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. To this union four children were born. Mike attended parochial school and high school in West Union, graduating in 1955. He attended college at Iowa State Teachers College (UNI) and Upper Iowa University. He participated in football, basketball and baseball in high school.
He enjoyed numerous occupations; such as bread-route salesman, John Deere factory worker, Ace Fogdall RV salesman and 43 years as an Amway Independent Business Operator. He grew up in West Union, later residing in Cedar Falls, Manchester, Washington, Davenport and finally in Waterloo, all in Iowa.
Mike loved sports! After high school he participated in town-ball, basketball leagues, and bowling and loved golf for his entire life. He was always active and loved working out at the River Plaza Center. Everyone that knew him knows he enjoyed a beer (or two) now and then. He delighted in playing with and watching his children, grandchildren and great-children in their activities. He loved to read (which you could tell by the stack of newspapers next to his chair) self-improvement, motivational books and literature.
With his wife Linda, they built their Amway business to the Emerald Distributor level. He never shot a hole-in-one but did shoot a par round of golf. He loved telling stories and to laugh! He never knew a stranger.
Those left to honor his memory include his daughter, Beth and her husband Bob Johnston of Long Grove, IA; son Tom Berns and his wife Denise of Waterloo; daughter Cathy Bemiss of West Union and son David Berns and his wife Laurie of Westminster, Colorado; 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters, Antoinette Kann of Marquette and Anita Schmelzer of Garnavillo; 3 brothers, John Berns and wife Janet of Dubuque; Allan Berns and wife Rosie of Winthrop; Bill Berns and wife Nellie of Quasqueton; 4 four sisters-in-law, Marilyn Berns of Hawkeye; Nancy Grimes (husband Jim) and Eileen Alcorn all of West Union; Sharon Schnepf (husband Ted) of Elgin, Illinois and one brother-in-law Ron Koester of Eldorado. Two uncles; Joe Evans (wife Irene) of Savanna, IL and Vern Alcorn (wife Marcy) of West Union; 2 aunts; Pat Diebold of Thousand Palms, California and Jeanne Herring of Alameda, California.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Linda of 54 years, brother Larry Berns, sister-in law Arlene Koester, brothers-in law Loren Kann, Joe Schmelzer and Lyle Alcorn.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 16, at the Hagarty - Waychoff- Grarup Funeral Service, 300 West Ridgeway Avenue in Waterloo. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, August 17, at Bethel Presbyterian Church in West Union.
[Source: Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Service]
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