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Photo of Marianne E. (Thompson) Bernhardt

Marianne E. (Thompson) Bernhardt

11/16/1951 - 4/6/2018


Obituary


Marianne E. (Thompson) Bernhardt, 66, of Clarion passed away Friday, April 6, 2018 at her home surrounded by her family.

Funeral services for Mari Bernhardt will be held on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at 2:00 PM at First United Methodist Church, 201 3rd Avenue North East in Clarion, with Reverend Mike Gudka officiating. Burial will take place at Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.

Visitation will be held on Monday, April 9, 2018 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Gateway Hospice, Rehabilitation at Iowa Specialty Hospital, or the First United Methodist Church kitchen remodel fund.

Marianne Ethel, daughter of Tilbert and Hilma (Carlson) Thompson, was born on November 16, 1951 in Clarion. She grew up in Clarion and graduated from Clarion High School with the class of 1969. After graduating high school, she earned her two year college degree.

On July 14, 1973, Mari was united in marriage to Ken Bernhardt at the First United Methodist Church in Clarion. The couple was blessed with three children; Jennifer, Rhonda, and Mark. After 30 years of working at the pharmacy in Clarion, Mari retired in November of 2017.

Over the years, Mari cherished traveling with Ken. The couple traveled to many states and took a cruise to the Bahamas. Ken and Mari also loved taking mini vacations with their family. Mari loved spending time with good friends, going on weekend getaway adventures with her lifelong high school friends, and having coffee with the Birthday Club. The most important thing to Mari, however, was family. She loved spending time with her children and babysitting her grandchildren.

Mari is survived by her husband Ken Bernhardt; three children, Jennifer (Troy) Askelsen, Rhonda (Chett) Ray, and Mark (Emily) Bernhardt; eight grandchildren, Megan Askelsen, Brooke Askelsen, Adalynn Askelsen, Blaire Askelsen, Halle Ray, Mac Ray, Luke Bernhardt, and Hannah Bernhardt; two sisters Bertha (Paul) Erickson, Jo (Chuck) Jensen; one brother Harold (Diana) Thompson; two sisters-in-law Judy Weir and Betty Lou Thompson; and many other family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents; infant sister Phyllis; and two brothers Richard Thompson and Phillip Thompson.