Bernice Margaret (Sampson) Hilgerson 1923 - 2004

SAMPSON, HILGERSON, ANDERSON, LOFTSGARD, BERG, LARSON, KELLY, FOELSKE, MARTENS, TERRONES, HELGERSON, SUTTER, PETERSON, SCHWINEFUS, MORK

Posted By: Errin Wilker (email)
Date: 1/20/2008 at 14:18:44

Bernice Margaret (Sampson) Hilgerson was born March 7, 1923, on a farm in Fayette County near Eldorado, Iowa, to Theodore Sampson and Elnor (Anderson) Sampson. She passed away Thursday, August 19, 2004, in Veterans Memorial Hospital at Waukon, Iowa, at the age of 81 years.

She was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran faith at Eldorado, Iowa. Bernice attended the Eldorado school as well. She worked in the Eldorado Store for Fred and Mabel House and for several of the neighbors as a hired girl.

On January 20, 1943, Bernice was married to Clarence Hilgerson at Ft. Hancock, New Jersey. To this union four sons were born. Clarence and Bernice farmed in the northeast Iowa area for several years. In September of 1984, they moved to Postville, Iowa. Over the last 30 years, Clarence and Bernice traveled to many different places in their camper. For the last few years they enjoyed the local campgrounds.

Bernice enjoyed going to auctions, sewing and patching for her children and grandchildren, and making lefse.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Clarence, who died in 2002, and a brother, Milferd Sampson.

Surviving are four sons and their wives, Robert and Ruth Hilgerson of St. Olaf, Iowa; Dean and Alyce Hilgerson of Postville; Roger and Ida Hilgerson of Elgin, Iowa; and Jerry and Deb Hilgerson of Waukon, Iowa.

Also surviving are 15 grandchildren, Scott (Suzy) Hilgerson, Dawn (Rick) Loftsgard, Lyn (Joel) Berg, Wendy (Greg) Larson, Sara (Frank) Kelly, Alan (Lori) Hilgerson, LeAnn (Mike) Foelske, Jason Hilgerson, Jeremy (Heidi) Hilgerson, Jason (Lacy) Martens, Kala (Roberta) Terrones, Ryan Hilgerson, Brandon Hilgerson, Andy Hilgerson and Lee Hilgerson; 24 great grandchildren, Landon, Reid, Mara and Simon Loftsgard; Emily and Rachel Berg; Austin, Neil and Ben Kelly, Sam, Shana, Theodore, and Tess Hilgerson; Noah and Colby Larson; Alexander Hilgerson; Alexis Hilgerson; Ellie and Jordyn Foelske; Jenna and Hailey Hilgerson; Izaak Martens; Selina and Estrella Terrones; one brother-in-law, Adrian Helgerson of Auburn, Iowa; four sisters-in-law, Arlene (Fritz) Sutter and Edna Peterson, both of West Union, Iowa; Thelma Schwinefus of Ossian, Iowa; and Myrtle Mork and Iva Sampson of Decorah, Iowa.

Bernice was a member of the Marion Lutheran Church at Gunder.

Visitation: Sunday, August 22, 2004 from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Schutte Funeral Home in Postville, Iowa

Services: Monday, August 23, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. at Marion Lutheran Church in Gunder, Iowa

Burial: Stavanger Lutheran Cemetery in Ossian, Iowa

Source: Funeral Bulletin