Bernadette Gertrude Stevenson, age 98, of Ankeny, Iowa passed away on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. Bernadette Gertrude Eisenmenger was born on a farm near Anthon, Iowa on October 14, 1924, to Paul C. and Eleanor Margaret (Coyne) Eisenmenger. She was the last surviving family member of ten children.
She attended grade school at St. Joseph Catholic School in Anthon until her parents moved to a farm one mile south of Cherokee in 1934. Here she went to a country school for one year and then enrolled at Immaculate Conception Catholic School where she graduated in 1943. After graduation, Bernie worked at JC Penney and the Cherokee County Courthouse.
She met Merlin Stevenson at a Jr. Farm Bureau dance, and they were married on November 6, 1946, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cherokee, Iowa. Soon after they were married, they moved to the Schaller area. They farmed for 64 years, the last 56 years on the farm on which they raised their family. They left the farm when they retired in 2010 and bought a home in Schaller. Their marriage was blessed with six children: Gary, Sharon, Dennis, David, Rosemary, and Kevin.
She enjoyed being a homemaker, wife, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandma,aunt, sister and friend. She was known for her rolls and cinnamon rolls (aka Grandma Rolls). You were fortunate if you got a suit box of rolls for Christmas. When her grandchildren entered the door, Bernie got a big smile on her face. She loved traveling and spending time with her family. Playing bingo, going down the big slide at Popcorn Days, gardening, and volunteering were some of her favorite things to do. In 2001, she received the Sac County Hospice Volunteer Award in Ames.
Bernie was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Rosary Society, Catholic Daughters of America, Religious Ed Teacher, Cook Merry Gardeners, Girl Scout leader and a leader of the Happy Hearts 4-H Club. She started a Pinocle Club with 7 other couples from church which met for a monthly date night for over 60 years.
On August 15, 2023, Bernie Stevenson peacefully passed away at The Bridges Care Center in Ankeny, Iowa at the age of 98 years, 10 months, and 1 day. She always wanted to make it to 100 years old.
Preceding Bernie in death was her husband Merlin on December 19, 2010; her parents; one grandson, Jack Merlin Stevenson of O’Neill, NE; two sisters, Mary Delores Mullin (Edward) of Cherokee, IA and Mercedes (Roscoe) French of Belleville, IL; seven brothers, Francis Paul Eisenmenger (Robin)of Vermillion, SD, Joseph Eisenmenger (Charlotte) of Cherokee, IA, Alfred Eisenmenger of Cherokee, IA, Cletus Eisenmenger of Cherokee, IA, Edmund Eisenmenger (Dorothy) of Cherokee, IA, Leonard Eisenmenger of Cherokee, IA, and Michael Eisenmenger of Cherokee, IA; two brothers-in-law and their wives, Garold and Florence Stevenson of Galva, IA and Theo and Mildred Stevenson of Aurelia, IA; and two nephews, Tom Stevenson of Ankeny, IA and Thomas Eisenmenger of Grand Island, NE.
Bernie is survived by six children, Gary (Tracy) Stevenson of Chino Hills, CA; Dennis (Sherry) Stevenson of Ankeny, IA; David (Louise) Stevenson of Indianapolis, IN; Kevin Stevenson of O’Neill, NE, Sharon (Stephen) Nervig of Springfield, MO; Rosemary (Tom) Hughes of Grafton, WI; one sister-in-law, Jeanne Eisenmenger of Lenexa, KS; grandchildren: Matthew (Sara) Stevenson; Jialei and Janet Guo; Mark (Anne) Nervig; Sara Nervig; Patrick (Jen) Nervig; Becky Stevenson; Jill (Mike) Murkins; Amanda Hughes; Rachael (Elvis) Ibraliu; Alexis Stevenson; and great-grandchildren: Jacob and Isabella Stevenson; Bobby, Jason, and Reese Weatherly; Eleanor and Sam Nervig; Gabriel Nervig; Jay and Ellie Murkins; Aria Ibraliu.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AnkenyFuneralHome.com for the Stevenson family
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