Josephine E Berner

Memorial Services for Josephine E. Berner will be conducted from the St. John's Lutheran Church in Oxford, Nebraska on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Dale Hedstrom, officiating. Interment will be held prior to the services at 9:30 a.m. at the Oxford Cemetery.

Josephine Evelyn "Jo" Berner, 94 years of age, of Aurora, Nebraska (formerly of Oxford) passed away on September 11, 2012 at Hamilton Manor Aurora, Nebraska. Josephine was born on June 12, 1918 in rural Harlan County near Oxford, Nebraska to Edward Christian and Anna Marie (Schmitz) Best.

Jo spent most of her childhood on a farm near Stamford, Nebraska. She attended District 37 and graduated from Stamford High School with the class of 1937. She was Baptized and Confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Oxford. Following High School she completed cosmetology course in 1938 from Capital Beauty School in North Platte. In 1941-1942, she was employed by the government in Washington, DC and in 1943 she moved to Long Beach, California, where she was employed at Sears and Roebuck.

In June of 1944, she married Verle M. Curtis and to this union a daughter, Linda was born.

In September of 1949 Josephine married William D. Berner of Avoca, Nebraska. They moved to Granville, Illinois and to this union a son, Gary was born. The family later moved to a farm near Syracuse, Nebraska and in 1954, moved to Oxford where Jo spent most of her life.

Josephine was employed as a nurse aide at the Oxford Hospital from 1955 to 1968. In 1968, she started work for Becton-Dickson in Holdrege and retired in 1980 with 12 years of service.

She spent her retirement years making and selling crafts and quilting. When her health failed she moved to the Hamilton Manor in Aurora.

Jo was preceded in death by her parents, her two husbands: Verle Curtis and William Berner; two brothers; and daughter-in-law, Nancy Berner.

She is survived by a son, Gary Berner of Aurora; a daughter, Linda Howry and her husband, Melvin of Oak Park, California; grandchildren: Scott Berner and his wife, Crystal of Lincoln, Nebraska; Todd Berner and his wife, Cari of Aberdeen, South Dakota, Stacie Bassett and her husband, Daniel of Lincoln; Maj. Aaron Howry of Ft. Irwin, California, Cpt. Ryan Howry and his wife, Paulina of Hieldburg, Germany; five great-grandchildren: Caleb, Quin, Kaden, Easton and Tessa; and many other relatives and friends.

There will be no public visitation.

A memorial has been established and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Mitchell-Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Oxford is in charge of the arrangements.