Lois (Kevan) BERNHARDT

KEVAN, BERNHARDT, LEE, WATTS, KIRSTEIN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/30/2006 at 13:42:39

Lois Kevan Bernhardt, 86, of Clarion, passed away on Thursday, May 11, 2006, at the Mercy Medical Center of North Iowa in Mason City. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, May 16, at the United Methodist Church in Clarion. Pastor Don Morrison officiated at the 10:30 a.m. service. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion.

Lois Kevan was born on November 22, 1919, in Dow City, the daughter of Jay and Golda (Lee) Kevan. Lois's father was killed in a school bus accident when Lois was seven years old. Her mother, Golda raised Lois, her two sisters and a brother during the Great Depression. While times were difficult for a widow with four children to raise, she was able to instill the value of education and hard work. Lois's early education began in Dow City and Denison, graduating from the Schaller High School in 1937, where she also won the State of Iowa typing championship, a feat that would serve her well in the war years to come. After high school, Lois graduated from the American Institute of Business, Des Moines, in 1939.

After a short stint with an insurance company, Lois bought a one-way ticket to Washington, D.C. in answer to a call for secretaries in the war effort. Upon arrival, she began what would become an exciting and unusual carer in the tumultuous war years of 1940-45. She began in the War Department and soon found herself working in the White House for Secretary of State, Mr. James F. Byrnes. While working for Mr. Byrnes, Lois typed the original United Nations charter, the surrender terms for Japan, and many other official war documents. She also attended the Potsdam Conference in Germany and the first United Nations Conference in San Francisco, where she typed the official English version of the proceeding. At war's end, Lois married her high school sweetheart and Navy pilot, Bob Bernhardt on November 25, 1945. Secretary of State Byrnes gave her away in marriage. To this union four children were born, Jeanne, Judy, Ken and Kevin.

Lois was an active member of the United Methodist Church, Grace Stockwell Circle, CERES Circle, and P.E.O. Lois was active in supporting kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids in all their activities. She was strong in faith and passed on her strength to all those she touched.

She is survived by two daughters, Jeanne Watts and husband, Gary of Riceville and Judy Kirstein and husband, Phil of Clarion; two sons, Ken Bernhardt and wife, Mari of Clarion and Kevin Bernhardt and wife, Daneen of Platteville, Wisconsin; 13 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Lois was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Donald; and two sisters, Lillian and Beth.

May 18, 2006
© Wright County Monitor 2006