Bernice L. Winter

Bernice L. Winter age 86 of George, IA died Thursday, August 5, 2010, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in George, IA. Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Sunday, August 8, at First Baptist Church, rural George, IA, with Pastor Stephen May officiating. Burial will follow at the First Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday, August 7, 2010 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM, with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home of George. Bernice Leona Winter was born April 26, 1924 on the family farm near Little Rock, IA to Cornelius and Jessie (De Boer) Freese. She was raised and received her education in rural Lyon County. On February 23, 1945 she was united in marriage to John Winter in George, IA. The couple began their lives together on a farm near George, IA before moving to a farm near Ellsworth, MN where they resided for 40 years. They then moved to George and have been there for the last 23 years. She was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of George, a member of the Christian Hour Circle, an Awana program leader, a Sunday school teacher and a member of the Choir. Bernice was a member of the Presidents Council of the Sioux Falls Seminary. She was also active with Meals-on-Wheels and the local Kiwanis group. Bernice is survived by her husband of 65 years, John Winter; daughter, Janelle (Roger) Kooiker of Rock Rapids; sons, Glenn (Audrey) Winter of Little Rock, IA, Norman (Gwen) Winter of Ellsworth, MN and Melvin (Karen) Winter of Little Rock, IA; grandchildren, Gina (Brad) Woodard, Nolan Kooiker, Ross (Amber) Kooiker, Erin Kooiker, Tara DeNoble and Teresa (Tim) Farnsworth; Lynelle Winter, Monica Winter, Adrienne (Ben) Reitsma, Melia Winter,; great-grandchildren, Erika and Caden Woodward; Isaac and Caleb Kooiker; Arrielle, Christopher and Joesy DeNoble; Elisabeth, Alaina and Olivia Farnsworth; Ava, Shae and Drew Reitsma; sister, Viola Krull of Rock Rapids, IA; brother, Vernon (Sandra) Freese of Worthington, MN; sisters-in-law, Gertrude Freese of Rock Rapids, IA; Elaine Freese and Hazel Winter of George, IA, Erma Winter of Sibley; and many extended family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, Cornelius and Jesse Freese; brothers, John Freese and Laurence Freese; and great-granddaughter, Mercedes DeNoble.