Berning, Emma Josephine

Emma Josephine Berning, 98, of Sinsinawa, Wis., died peacefully Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, at Stonehill Franciscan Services in Dubuque. Funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 3, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Sinsinawa, with the Rev. Cy Weisensel officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Casey Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 123 N. Jackson St., Cuba City, Wis., where the parish rosary will be prayed at 1:45 p.m. Friends may also call from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Emma was born on March 25, 1912, in Jamestown Township, the daughter of Frank and Angeline (Vosberg) Wiederholt. She married Aloysius Berning on May 10, 1932, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Kieler, Wis. They were married 71 years, when he preceded her in death on Sept. 21, 2003. Emma was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church parish and the Council of Catholic Women.

She was a homemaker and loved sewing, crocheting, quilting, genealogy, organ music, playing cards and time spent with family and friends. All of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren brought her much joy.

Survivors include four daughters, Bernadette (Douglas) Hilby of Dubuque, Mary Ann (Eugene) Wessling of Omaha, Neb., Jenelle Berning of Dubuque, and Joyce (Ronald) Lansing of Luxemburg; six sons, Richard (Mary) Berning of Sinsinawa, Gerald (Marilyn) of Cuba City, Clarence (Arlene Lee, friend) Berning of Platteville, Wis., Lloyd (Janet) Berning of Sinsinawa, John (Ellen) Berning of Menominee, Ill., and Mark (Jane) Berning of Dubuque; 45 grandchildren; six stepgrandchildren; 106 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Marion Thor of Madison, Wis.; and many nieces and nephews.

Besides her husband, Emma was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter-in-law, Judy Berning; four grandchildren, Jeff, Joe and Frank Berning, and Elizabeth Wessling; a great-grandson, Nathan Wessling; one sister, Ruth (John) Hentrich; two brothers, Raymond (Gertrude) Wiederholt and Pfc Frank Wiederholt; and one brother-in-law, Walter Thor.

The family would like to thank the “special angels” who took care of Emma during her short stay at Stonehill Franciscan Services.

“Since I'm the last member of the Frank and Angie Wiederholt family from this area; when I leave this world, I'll have to put out the light and lock the door.”

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