Harstad, Bernice Amanda

Bernice Amanda Harstad, 92, of Marion, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, at the Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, Hiawatha. Funeral Service: 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, 1844 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, by the Rev. Dennis Johnson. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until service time at the funeral home on Friday. Burial will follow at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Survivors include her sons, Brent (Patricia) Harstad of Toddville and Norris (Nancy) Harstad of Palatine, Ill.; exchange student son, John (Anne) Kumnick of Melbourne, Australia; grandchildren, Christine (Craig) Landa of Toddville, Eric (Mollie) Harstad of Half Moon Bay, Calif., Stephanie (Todd) Thielen of Firestone, Colo., and Matthew (Lauren) Harstad of Homewood, Ill.; great-grandchildren, Lars and Ingrid Landa, Sarah and Travis Thielen and Bedrich and Dane Harstad; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Bernice was born Nov. 15, 1920, in Willis, Neb., the daughter of Carl Edward Christensen and Dora (Smith) Christensen Iddings. She attended a one room school house in Willis, moving in the third grade to Sioux City, where she graduated from Central High School in 1938. On Dec. 27, 1942, she married Gordon Harstad in Sioux City, Iowa. After their marriage, they moved to Milwaukee, Wis., before settling in Marion in 1950. Gordon and Bernice owned and operated Iowa Title & Abstract Co. in Cedar Rapids for many years. For the last four years she was a resident at Keystone Cedars, where she made many new friends.

Bernice was a member of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Marion, PEO Chapters K.J. and C.S., Sorosis, and was a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow. She was a very active bridge and cribbage player and over the years developed many of her closest friendships with her fellow players. Bernice also enjoyed knitting, crocheting and was an accomplished seamstress, making her own clothing in her younger years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and sisters, Doris Bach and Pearl Nylander.

Memorials are suggested to the Marion Historical Society, PO Box 753, Marion, IA 52302.

Please sign the online guest book and share a memory about Bernice at www.stewartbaxter.com.

Published Oct. 24, 2013 in The Gazette