Bernice (Heddinger) PAYER

PAYER, RILEY, HEDDINGER, ECKHOFF, WILKINSON, BEAVERS, GEROW, ALLEN, WEISHAAR, MEAD, JOHNSON, PICKERING, NOYES

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/19/2008 at 20:20:19

Mason City Globe Gazette
September 19, 2008

BELMOND - Bernice Payer, 79, of Belmond, passed away Tuesday (Sept. 16, 2008) at the Belmond Medical Center. Mass of Christian burial for Bernice Payer will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008, at Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Belmond with the Rev. Nils Hernandez officiating. Burial will be in the St. Francis Cemetery in Belmond. Visitation for Bernice Payer will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today, Sept. 19, at the Dugger Funeral Home, 111 Luick's Lane S. in Belmond. A parish rosary and Scriptural wake service will held at 7 p.m. at the funeral home. There will be no viewing at the church.

Bernice, the daughter of Walter and Bertha Riley Heddinger, was born Dec. 29, 1928, in Emmetsburg. She attended schools in Cylinder, Rolfe and West Bend. Bernice graduated from Rolfe High School in 1947. Bernice was united in marriage to Jerry Payer on June 5, 1950, in Rolfe. The couple made their home in Pocahontas for 14 years. She worked for a time as a cook at the Ideal Cafe in Pocahontas. Bernice and Jerry moved to Belmond in 1964. She was proud of her role as a farm wife and of the time she spent raising her children. Bernice was the office administrator for the Manly Ready Mix Plant in Manly with Jerry and also helped him at the Motel 6. They moved back to Belmond in 1991. She was a dedicated employee of the P&G Deli for many years. Bernice liked being in the outdoors, especially fishing. She could often be found enjoying games, whether it was Yahtzee, cards or even computer games. She loved time spent with her family most of all. Bernice was an active member of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. In the past she was also a member of the Rosary Society and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

Bernice is survived by her husband Jerry; her three children: Connie (Jim) Eckhoff of Meservey, Steven (Lynda) Payer of Cottonwood, Ariz., and Richard (Laura) Payer, of Mason City; grandchildren, Kimberly Wilkinson, of Clarion, Brian (Jen) Eckhoff, of Mason City, Andrew Beavers of Lutsen, Minn., Lindsay Beavers (fiancee Ryan Gerow) of Mason City and Jonathon Payer of Mason City; great grandchildren: Danielle Wilkinson, Jeremiah Wilkinson, and Benjamin Eckhoff; sisters, Eileen Allen, Chatfield, Minn.; Lucy Johnson and husband Ron, Cedar Falls: Catherine Mead, Aplington, Darlene Weishaar, Oelwein; sisters-in-law, Gertrude Heddinger, Fairlawn, N.J., Joyce Heddinger, Fort Dodge, Doris Pickering, Louisville, Ky.: Bernice Noyes, Blair, Neb.; Gerry Jordan, Boone: Esther Payer, Pocahontas, Karlene Payer, Pocahontas; brothers-in-law, Duane (Shirley) Payer, Centerville, Ronald Payer, Pocahontas, Bob (Patty) Payer, Storm Lake; and numerous other nieces and nephews. Bernice is preceded in death by her parents, grandson, Thomas Jerome (T.J.); four brothers; three sisters-in-law and nine brothers-in-law. Dugger Funeral Home, 111 Luick's Lane South, Box 233, Belmond, IA 50421.