Bernice Ellen Meurer

Bernice Ellen Meurer, the daughter of John and Mildred “Millie” (Jensen) Duckworth was born April 30, 1925, in Iowa Falls, Iowa and died January 14, 2020, at the Salem Lutheran Nursing Home in Elk Horn, Iowa at the age of 94 years, 8 months, and 14 days. Bernice’s mother married Hans Mortensen in 1927 and Bernice assumed the Mortensen name. The family relocated several places and then settled in Lake View, Iowa.
Bernice was baptized and confirmed as a Lutheran. She attended the Lake View Community Schools graduating with the High School Class of 1943. During this time the United States was involved in World War II. So to satisfy her Patriotic Duty she moved to Omaha, Nebraska where she began her career better known as “Rosie the Riveter”. She was employed at the Glenn L. Martin Bomber Plant near Offutt Air Force Base where she worked until the War ended and the plant closed in 1945. Bernice moved to Exira, Iowa where her family had moved to be close to them. There in Exira is where she met Marvin J. Meurer.
On April 22, 1947, she was united in marriage to Marvin. They were blessed with five children: Don, Linda, Gary, Larry, and Debra. Bernice worked various jobs while raising her five children. She worked at Hess’s Uptown Café, was a Nurse’s Aide at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital in Audubon, Iowa, and worked in Dr. Ankeny’s office in Exira. After the children got older, she worked for the USDA Office both in Audubon and later in Atlantic, Iowa for over 30 years. Then in 1980 she was employed at Glacier Vandervell until she retired in 1990. Bernice enjoyed bowling, gardening, canning, sewing, making quilts, and camping on the weekends. She was an avid reader of Louie L ’Amour books and enjoyed watching Westerns in her free time. Bernice lived in her own home until she became a resident of The Salem Lutheran Nursing Home in 2014.
Preceding her in death was her daughter-in-law Janet Meurer; her special friend Cecil Jahnke; her parents Hans and Millie; one sister Karen Mortensen, her brothers Don Mortensen, Merlyn Mortensen, Roger Mortensen, and Howard Mortensen.
Survivors include her five children: Don and wife Jeanette Meurer of Harlan, Iowa, Linda Meurer of Exira, Iowa, Gary Meurer of Atlantic, Iowa, Larry Meurer of Harlan, Iowa, and Debra and husband Ken Williams of Atlantic, Iowa; her 11 grandchildren: Jamie, Amy, David, Daniel, Kevin, Dana, Kris, Stephany, Michael, Shelly, and Darrin; 16 great grandchildren; her brother Maynard and wife Alicia Duckworth of Boise, Idaho; her sister Kay and husband Clisten Murray of Hesperia, California; her sisters-in-law Sandra Mortensen of Beverly Hills, Florida and Pat Mortensen of Ankeny, Iowa, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
The family will meet with friends Saturday afternoon, January 25, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, Iowa. The Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be conducted by Pastor Sam Jacobs on Saturday afternoon January 25, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, Iowa. Interment will be in the Exira Cemetery in Exira, Iowa at a later date. Honorary casket bearers will be Jamie Meurer, Kevin Meurer, David Meurer, Daniel Meurer, Michael Meurer, and Kris Krogh.