Linda Lee Berns 1938 - 2010

ALCORN, SALTSGIVER, BERNS, KOESTER, KANN, SCHMELZER, JOHNSTON, BEMISS, HIRSCH, REITER, KRIZEK, MASSARO

Posted By: N. Wagner (email)
Date: 8/22/2010 at 15:25:39

Linda L. Berns, 71, of Waterloo, Iowa, formerly of West Union, died Saturday, Aug. 14, 2010, at her home from breast cancer.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 20, at Bethel Presbyterian Church, West Union, with inurnment in West Union Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 until 7 p.m. today (Wednesday) at Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Service on West Ridgeway Ave. in Waterloo. Visitation will continue for one hour before services on Friday at the church in West Union.

Linda Lee (Alcorn) Berns was born Aug. 18, 1938, in West Union. She was the daughter of Leroy and Ruth (Saltsgiver) Alcorn.

Linda was baptized and confirmed at Bethel Presbyterian Church in West Union.

She attended West Union schools, graduating from West Union High School. She attended Parsons College in Fairfield.

On Nov. 21, 1954, Linda married Michael Joseph Berns at the Little Brown Church, Nashua.

Linda worked as an insurance secretary for State Farm and Northwestern Mutual in Washington, Ia. She was employed with Qwest in Waterloo from 1998 to 2008. She also was an independent business owner from 1969 to present.

Linda loved to travel, play bridge and golf. She was active in Christian Women's Group. An organ donor, she also supported and participated in two worthy causes, Breast Cancer Awareness and The Walk for Life.

Preceding Linda in death were a sister, Arlene Koester; a brother, Lyle Alcorn; three brothers-in-law, Larry Berns, Loren Kann and Joe Schmelzer.

Survivors include her husband, Mike, of Waterloo; two daughters, Beth (Bob) Johnston of Long Grove and Cathy (Paul) Bemiss of West Union; two sons, Tom (Denise) Berns of Waterloo and David (Laurie) Berns of Arvada, Colo.

Additional survivors include 12 grandchildren, Jesse Johnston of Des Moines, Jamey (fiancé Jimmy Skarlis) Johnston of Mason City, Bobby Johnston of Long Grove, Tabetha, Michael, and T. Jay Berns of Waterloo, Rob (fiancée Tiffany Massaro) Bemiss of Brooksville, Fla., Abi (Michael) Hirsch of Loveland, Colo., David (Duasong) Berns of Arvada, Colo., Amanda Reiter, Adam (Jenny) Reiter and Aaron Reiter, all of Waterloo; 13 great-grandchildren, Kain Krizek, Presley, Parker, Zion and Paisley Berns, Dexter Berns, Lila Hirsch, Ethan, Logan, Riley, Carly, and Emersun Reiter, and Zoey Massaro.

Also surviving are two sisters, Nancy (Jim) Grimes of West Union and Sharon (Ted) Schnepf of Elgin, Ill.; four brothers-in-law, Ron Koester of Eldorado, John (Janet) Berns of Dubuque, Allen (Rosie) Berns of Winthrop, Bill (Nellie) Berns of Quasqueton; four sisters-in-law, Eileen Alcorn of West Union, Antoinette Kann of Marquette, Anita Schmelzer of Garnavillo and Marilyn Berns of Cedar Rapids.

Source: Fayette County Union - 17 August 2010