Bernardine "Bernie" Nefzger
November 6, 1929 — November 18, 2019
Bernardine “Bernie” Nefzger, 90, of Earlville, Iowa, passed away on Monday, November 18, 2019, at her home. Visitation: 2 - 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 20, 2019, and 9 – 10 a.m. Thursday, November 21, 2019, at Clifton – Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Earlville, Iowa. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, November 21, 2019, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Earlville, Iowa, with Rev. Jason Hesseling officiating. Burial: St. Joseph Cemetery, Earlville, Iowa.
Bernie is survived by her children, Ronald (Kathleen) Goldsmith of Hiawatha, Iowa, Joseph (Linda) Goldsmith of Earlville, Iowa, Mark (Beth) Goldsmith of Weaverville, California, Patrick (Alison) Goldsmith of Ames, Iowa, Anne (Thomas) Hayes of Rosemount, Minnesota, and Michael (Pamela) Goldsmith of Hiawatha, Iowa; eighteen grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren; siblings, Virtus (Marilyn) Clasen, Mary Ellen Kirk, Merlin (Marilyn) Clasen, Pauline Wagener and Lela Roiger; and in-laws, Mary Ann Clasen, Betty (Hank) Ehrlich, and Nellie Krapfl.
Bernie is also survived by her step-children, Mary Lu (Larry) Welch of Platteville, Wisconsin, Jeanne (George) Hesseling of Sugar Grove, Illinois, and Dave Nefzger (Christine Mascow) of McHenry, Illinois; ten step-grandchildren; and eighteen step-great-grandchildren; step-in-laws, Gary (Juanita) Maiers of Coal Valley, Illinois and Roger Johannes of Earlville, Iowa.
Bernie was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Arthur Goldsmith and Edward Nefzger; brother, Alvin Clasen; step-daugthers, JoAnn Maiers and Kathy Johannes; step-son-in-law, Gary Hesseling; step-great-granddaughter, Mackenzee Carpenter; Additionally she is preceded by her in-laws, James Kirk, Dennis Hines, Cliff Roiger, LeRoy Wagener, Margaret (Clem) Kapler, Delores (Ed) Nefzger, Mary (John) Kupferschmidt, Mildred (Larry) Kramer, Floyd (Marie) Goldsmith, George (Laura) Goldsmith, James (Bertha) Goldsmith, Fred (Darlene) Goldsmith, Genevieve (Ray) Olberding, Robert Krapfl, Elmer (Katherine) Nefzger, and Marie (Ed) Rausch.
Bernie was born November 6, 1929, in Springbrook, Iowa, the daughter of Alvin and Emma (Weis) Clasen. She graduated from St. Joseph High School in Bellevue, Iowa, in 1947. Bernie then graduated from Mercy College of Nursing in 1952, and went on to work at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque, Iowa. She then served as the parish secretary at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Earlville for nineteen years.
On April 4, 1959, she married Arthur D. Goldsmith in Bellevue, Iowa. He died November 16, 1970. Bernie then married Edward Nefzger on July 22, 1977. He died January 5, 2001. She was a Mercy Alumni, Catholic Daughter, and a Mercy Volunteer. Bernie was a humble woman who loved playing euchre, dancing, volunteering, and most of all her family. She spent her life devoted to children as a pediatric nurse, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and the maker of hundreds of hand-knit stocking caps for newborn babies. Bernie will be greatly missed.
Bernie is survived by her children, Ronald (Kathleen) Goldsmith of Hiawatha, Iowa, Joseph (Linda) Goldsmith of Earlville, Iowa, Mark (Beth) Goldsmith of Weaverville, California, Patrick (Alison) Goldsmith of Ames, Iowa, Anne (Thomas) Hayes of Rosemount, Minnesota, and Michael (Pamela) Goldsmith of Hiawatha, Iowa; eighteen grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren; siblings, Virtus (Marilyn) Clasen, Mary Ellen Kirk, Merlin (Marilyn) Clasen, Pauline Wagener and Lela Roiger; and in-laws, Mary Ann Clasen, Betty (Hank) Ehrlich, and Nellie Krapfl.
Bernie is also survived by her step-children, Mary Lu (Larry) Welch of Platteville, Wisconsin, Jeanne (George) Hesseling of Sugar Grove, Illinois, and Dave Nefzger (Christine Mascow) of McHenry, Illinois; ten step-grandchildren; and eighteen step-great-grandchildren; step-in-laws, Gary (Juanita) Maiers of Coal Valley, Illinois and Roger Johannes of Earlville, Iowa.
Bernie was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Arthur Goldsmith and Edward Nefzger; brother, Alvin Clasen; step-daugthers, JoAnn Maiers and Kathy Johannes; step-son-in-law, Gary Hesseling; step-great-granddaughter, Mackenzee Carpenter; Additionally she is preceded by her in-laws, James Kirk, Dennis Hines, Cliff Roiger, LeRoy Wagener, Margaret (Clem) Kapler, Delores (Ed) Nefzger, Mary (John) Kupferschmidt, Mildred (Larry) Kramer, Floyd (Marie) Goldsmith, George (Laura) Goldsmith, James (Bertha) Goldsmith, Fred (Darlene) Goldsmith, Genevieve (Ray) Olberding, Robert Krapfl, Elmer (Katherine) Nefzger, and Marie (Ed) Rausch.
Bernie was born November 6, 1929, in Springbrook, Iowa, the daughter of Alvin and Emma (Weis) Clasen. She graduated from St. Joseph High School in Bellevue, Iowa, in 1947. Bernie then graduated from Mercy College of Nursing in 1952, and went on to work at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque, Iowa. She then served as the parish secretary at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Earlville for nineteen years.
On April 4, 1959, she married Arthur D. Goldsmith in Bellevue, Iowa. He died November 16, 1970. Bernie then married Edward Nefzger on July 22, 1977. He died January 5, 2001. She was a Mercy Alumni, Catholic Daughter, and a Mercy Volunteer. Bernie was a humble woman who loved playing euchre, dancing, volunteering, and most of all her family. She spent her life devoted to children as a pediatric nurse, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and the maker of hundreds of hand-knit stocking caps for newborn babies. Bernie will be greatly missed.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Bernardine "Bernie" Nefzger, please visit our flower store.