Obit: Wegner, Bernita Marian (1924 - 2010)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt

Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Adler, Boller, Dux, Langreck, Resong, Schield, Scott, Sturtz, Wasserburger, Weber, Wegner 
 

----Source: The Tribune - Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wisconsin) Wednesday, January 6, 2010, Page 13 
 

Wegner, Bernita Marian (Wasserburger) (February 20, 1924 - January 2, 2010)

 
Bernita Wegner, 85, Neillsville, died Saturday, January 2, 2010 at her home surrounded by her loving family.

 
Bernita Marian Wegner was born on February 20, 1924 in Neillsville, the daughter of Henry Charles and Martha (Dux) Wasserburger.  
 

As a young girl she worked summers for the Tibbett Ice and Fuel company doing light bookkeeping and waiting on customers and then for the Neillsville Armory selling tickets for rollerskating.  
 

While in High School she sold tickets at the movie theatre for Mr. Adler. She took piano lessons from Mrs. Jess Scott and enjoyed playing duets with her sister Marian, with whom she also spent many enjoyable hours riding their horses Patsy and Dolly, and rollerskating. After her uncle Leo bet her she could not learn to play the Soprano saxophone, she practiced relentlessly, going on to win a gold medal in the solo competition at the state music tournament in Eau Claire.  
 

She graduated from Neillsville High School in 1941 and then worked as a housekeeper for Fr. Weber at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. After attending Villa Maria Academy in Frontenac, Minnesota, Bernita attended St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in Wausau from 1942-1945.  
 

Following her graduation and certification as a Registered Nurse in August, 1945, she continued at the hospital, working in the Surgery Department. She returned to Neillsville and became the Public Health Nurse for Clark County from 1946 to 1953, obtaining her Public Health Nursing Certification in 1947 from the University of Minnesota.  
 

On October 25, 1952 she was united in marriage to Carl Robert Wegner at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville.  
 

From 1968 to June of 1970, she served first as the Acting Director and later the Director of Nursing at the Sunset Nursing Home in Fairchild. In 1970, when Carl and Bernita bought out business partner Kenneth Olson’s interest in the Model Cleaners and became sole proprietors, she resigned from the Sunset Nursing Home to work with her husband. They operated the business with their family. She returned to Clark County’s Public Health Nursing Service in January of 1976, working primarily in the Northeast third of the county until her retirement in 1991.

 
She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and served on the parish board as secretary and as the chairperson of St. Agnes’ Circle. She was a Cub Scout den mother for 8 years, Webelos leader, and member of the the Cub Scout Board of Directors and later the Troop Committee for the Boy Scouts of America, and volunteered with numerous organizations including the American Cancer Society (as public education chairman), the Red Cross, the Heart Fund (as city chairman) and the March of Dimes (as secretary/treasurer and county co-chairman). Bernita was named "Woman of the Year" by the Business and Professional Women on September 11, 1984.  
 

She served on the Zoning Committee and Board of Appeals in Neillsville from 1986-1995. She was instrumental in the formation of the Clark County Humane Society in 1987 becoming the shelter manager in 1991. After recovering from a near-fatal automobile accident in December of 1996 she continued in service on the board until the present.

 
She extended her gentle and compassionate heart to the animals she cared for, from the birds at her feeders and baths, to her cats and in turn to the countless kittens, cats, puppies and dogs she nurtured back to good health in foster care. Her tenderness was especially and uniquely resonant with her beloved and seemingly part human cat, "Pumpkin". She loved to garden and grow flowers, and took particular delight in giving beautiful bouquets to others. She enjoyed helping others and being involved with youth groups. Most of all, however, she enjoyed her family and the time she spent with them.

 
She is survived by four sons, Charles "Chuck" (Cheri) Wegner of Neillsville, Richard "Rick" (Tammy) Wegner of Marshfield, Scott Wegner of Schofield and Thomas Wegner of Neillsville; and two grandchildren, James and Eric Wegner. She is further survived by one sister, Marian (William) Boller of Wausau; four nieces and two nephews.

 
She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Robert Wegner, her parents, and a sister, Leona (Delbert) Langreck.

 
The Mass of Christian Burial for Bernita will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, January 9, 2010 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville. The Celebrant will be Fr. Woodrow H. Pace.  
 

Music will be provided by Ronald Resong, organist and St. Mary’s Choir. Interment will be in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a Rosary Service at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, January 8, 2010 at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville, and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 9, 2010 in the Narthex of St. Mary’s Church in Neillsville.

 
Casket Bearers will be Bruce Langreck, Bernie Langreck, Howie Sturtz, James Schield.

 
Bernita was a devoted wife and loving mother and grandmother and will be dearly missed by all who know and love her.

 
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

 
The Gesche Funeral Home of Neillsville is assisting with funeral arrangements.

 
Online condolences may be made at www.GescheFH.com.