Berns, Michael Joseph

Michael Joseph Berns, 75, of Waterloo, died Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, at the Martin Center of the Western Home in Cedar Falls. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at the Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Service, 300 W. Ridgeway Ave., Waterloo. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Bethel Presbyterian Church in West Union.

Mike or “Coach” as he was affectionately nicknamed, was born April 11, 1937, to Grace (Evans) Walrod of Garner. He was adopted and welcomed to the family of Amadeus and Viola (Matt) Berns of West Union. Mike married Linda Lee Alcorn on Nov. 21, 1954, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. To this union four children were born. Mike attended parochial school and high school in West Union, graduating in 1955. He attended college at Iowa State Teachers College (UNI) and Upper Iowa University. He participated in football, basketball and baseball in high school.

He enjoyed numerous occupations, such as bread route salesman, John Deere factory worker, Ace Fogdall RV salesman and 43 years as an Amway Independent Business Operator. He grew up in West Union, later residing in Cedar Falls, Manchester, Washington, Davenport and finally in Waterloo, all in Iowa.

Mike loved sports! After high school, he participated in town ball, basketball leagues and bowling and loved golf for his entire life. He was always active and loved working out at the River Plaza Center. Everyone who knew him knew he enjoyed a beer (or two) now and then. He delighted in playing with and watching his children, grandchildren and great-children in their activities. He loved to read (which you could tell by the stack of newspapers next to his chair) self-improvement, motivational books and literature. With his wife, Linda, they built their Amway business to the Emerald Distributor level. He never shot a hole-in-one but did shoot a par round of golf. He loved telling stories and to laugh! He never knew a stranger.

Those left to honor his memory include his daughter, Beth and her husband, Bob Johnston of Long Grove; son, Tom Berns and his wife, Denise of Waterloo; daughter, Cathy Bemiss of West Union; and son David Berns and his wife, Laurie of Westminster, Colo.; 12 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Antoinette Kann of Marquette and Anita Schmelzer of Garnavillo; three brothers, John Berns and wife Janet of Dubuque, Allan Berns and wife Rosie of Winthrop, and Bill Berns and wife Nellie of Quasqueton; four sisters-in-law, Marilyn Berns of Hawkeye, Nancy Grimes (husband Jim) and Eileen Alcorn all of West Union, and Sharon Schnepf (husband Ted) of Elgin, Ill.; one brother-in-law, Ron Koester of Eldorado; two uncles, Joe Evans (wife Irene) of Savanna, Ill. and Vern Alcorn (wife Marcy) of West Union; and two aunts, Pat Diebold of Thousand Palms, Calif. and Jeanne Herring of Alameda, Calif.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 54 years, Linda; brother, Larry Berns; sister-in law, Arlene Koester; and brothers-in-law, Loren Kann, Joe Schmelzer and Lyle Alcorn.

Published in The Gazette Aug. 15, 2012.