Bernice M. (Soma) Sebert

Bernice Sebert, 98, of Clarion, Iowa, passed away Monday, October  18, 2004, at the Belmond Medical Center in Belmond.

Funeral services for Bernice M. Sebert will be held at 1:00 P.M. Friday October 22, 2004 at the St Olaf Lutheran Church north of Clarion. The Pastor Lowell Halvorson will officiate. Burial will take place in the Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion at 3:00 P.M. on Friday.

Visitation for Bernice M. Sebert will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. Thursday October 21, 2004 at the Ewing Dugger Funeral Home 602 North Main in Clarion and one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. The family requests that memorials be made in Bernice’s name.  

Bernice Myrtle Sebert, daughter of Elling J. and Anna Margaret (Michelson) Soma was born on September 6, 1906 on a farm in Wright County near Kanawha. She was the seventh child of eleven children.

She was baptized in the Lutheran faith in 1906 and confirmed her faith in her Lord on October 30 1921 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in rural Belmond. Bernice was a life long member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church, and at the time of her death she was the oldest living member.

She attended a rural public school near her home in Wright County, graduating from the 8^th grade in May 1921.

Bernice was united in marriage to Orville Sebert on June 20, 1934 at the home of her parents in Norway Township. She lived all her married life on a farm on the west side of Lake Cornelia. Orville died from a sudden heart attack at the age of 43, leaving her to raise six children. Her brother, Melvin, came to live with the family to help with the farming, until his health failed him to do so. She then moved to Clarion where she worked as a cook at the Clarion Care Center for 25 years. Retiring at the age of 73.

Her interest centered around her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who will miss her greatly.

Bernice is survived by five daughters, Doris Andersen and her husband Anton of Kanawha, Joann Nelsen and her husband Donavon of Clarion, Janice Asche and her husband Richard of Clarion, Elaine Freeman and her husband Larry of Nevada, Mary Faulk and her husband Keith of Boone; one son Leo Sebert and his wife Kim of Clarion; sixteen grandchildren, twenty- six great grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Adelaide Hill, Margaret Dorenkamp and her husband Alvin of Belmond; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Orville; one infant daughter, Darlene; her parents; four brothers, Jovial, Norris, Melvin and Elmer Soma; four sisters, Gladys Mehl, Shirley Gabrielson, Viola Morris, and June Kloberdanz; three sister in-laws; five brother-in-laws; one grandchild, Jackie Schlesky; two great grandchildren, Selna DeLeon and Bryan Schlesky.