Koenig, Bernice Eva (Bachelder) 1928 - 2017

KOENIG, BACHELDER, BRANDT

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:41

Bernice Eva (Bachelder) Koenig, the daughter of Earl Chester and Hattie Lizzie (Brandt) Bachelder, was born Feb. 9, 1928, at Castalia. She passed away Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in the Green Hills Retirement Community at Ames. She had reached the age of 89 years, six months, and 20 days.

A memorial service is planned for Oct. 21, at 1 p.m. in St Paul Lutheran Church, Postville. Burial is in the Pleasant View Cemetery at Castalia. Online condolences may be left at adamssoderstrum.com.

Bernice was baptized into the Christian faith and confirmed in the Evangelical United Brethren congregation of Castalia. She later joined St Paul Lutheran Church and was an active member of the Women’s Circle and would prepare diligently when it was her turn to lead bible study. She actively took her turn at helping with funeral services and other activities at the church. When she moved from the farm to Decorah, she was a member of Good Shepard Lutheran and later a member of St Andrews Lutheran in Ames.

Bernice attended Castalia School until they united with Postville High School. She graduated in 1946. She was married to Earl Koenig Oct. 24, 1947, and to this union four boys were born. Bernice worked at Schutte’s Furniture in Postville and worked with her husband as they began farming in November of 1950. They bought a farm west of Frankville in 1954. She raised her boys on this farm and lived there for over 50 years. Many times after her hair appointment she would say “I’m glad I only had boys to raise after hearing all the problems of raising girls!”

Bernice enjoyed taking care of her husband and boys. With the busy schedule of a family, home and dairy farm, there was always a meal ready to eat and even a special breakfast on Saturday mornings. A beautifully cared for lawn was special to Bernice. Even when nieces and nephews came to help mow, Bernice ran the push mower as those young kids wouldn’t know how to trim. She took pride in her family and the way her farmstead looked.

Bernice had the most beautiful handwriting and took great patience in writing letters and taking notes. The curvature of the letters and words were uniquely hers. Her boys never picked up this skill.

Surviving are her four sons: Steve and Brenda of Tyndall, S.D.; Dale and Marlene of Elkhart; David and Cindi, of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; Frederick (Bill) and Lynn, of Ames; and special friend, Betty Koenig, of Elwood, Neb.; two brothers-in-law, Harlen Koenig of Frankville and Verne Koenig of Decorah; two sisters-in-law, Loretta (George) Bachelder of Decorah and Ruby (Loren) Koenig of Postville.
There are seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl; her parents, Earl and Hattie Bachelder; one brother, George Bachelder; one sister, Irene Koenig; four brothers-in-law: Orville Koenig, Leonard Koenig, Milton Koenig and Loren Koenig; and four sisters-in-law: Lorraine Koenig, Ardith Koenig, Florence Koenig and Gwenn Koenig.

Source: Decorah Newspapers Aug. 31, 2017

Pleasant View Cemetery
 

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