Berschman, Jane B. (1930-2018)

BERSCHMAN, SMIDT, MEYER, AUKES, STEFFENSEN, WATKINS, SENG, SHIPMAN, GREINER, KESSLER, UBBELOHDE, EDEN, CLAPPER, NEWEL

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 9/20/2018 at 15:58:04

Jane B. Berschman
June 27, 1930 - July 15, 2018

Jane Bertha Berschman, 88, of Buffalo Center, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, July 15, 2018, at the Hancock County Memorial Hospice Unit in Britt, Iowa.

The youngest of three children, Jane Bertha Smidt was born on June 27, 1930, in Lakota, Iowa, to Jasper and Bertha (Meyer) Smidt. Baptized and confirmed in the Presbyterian Church in Lakota, she participated in the high school music program and played on the 1946 State Basketball team. In 1948, she graduated as Valedictorian of her Class.

On October 6, 1948, Jane married the neighbor boy, John Berschman. They were blest with five children: Timothy, Ronald, Debra, Joann, and Denise. In 1961, they moved from Lakota to a farm north of Buffalo Center where they farmed until 1976 when John retired because of his declining health. For many years, Jane worked for Green Giant in Blue Earth, Minnesota, mostly sharpening the corn knives. In 1995, she and John moved off the farm into Buffalo Center. After quitting her job at Green Giant, she started working nights at the Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center where she remained for the next twenty-five years as a CNA, retiring in 2010.

Always busy making her jean quilts for family and friends, working outside, picking up sticks, raking or mowing her lawn, and tending her gardens, she took great pride in the appearance of her lawn and flowers. Active in her church, she served on the funeral committee for many years. Above all else, however, she treasured her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, the loves of her life.

Those left to mourn include son, Tim (Vicki) Berschman; her daughters, Deb (Doug) Aukes and Joann (Paul) Steffensen, all of Buffalo Center, and Denise (Jim) Watkins of Urbana, Illinois; seven grandchildren: Nicole (Kevin) Seng, of Waterloo, Brooke (Michael) Shipman, of Greensboro, North Carolina, Wade (Kim) Aukes, of Windom, Minnesota, Bridget (Chad) Greiner, of Keota, Tony Steffensen, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Abby (Blake) Kessler, of Ankeny, and Alison Watkins, of Urbana, Illinois; eight great-grandchildren: Charlie Aukes; Keith Greiner; Brady Seng; Payton and Victoria Shipman; Briley and Jensen Steffensen; and Jade (Kyle) Ubbelohde; her brother- and sisters-in-law: Joe and Dorothy Berschman, of Buffalo Center, Pat Smidt, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Arvilla Smidt, of Blue Springs, Missouri; as well as many other relatives in Germany, especially Clasine Eden and family.

Jane was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; her son Ron; her brothers, Pete and Bill Smidt; and her in-laws, Ruth and Donald Clapper and Kay and Gene Newel; and a nephew, Brian Newel.

Funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM, Thursday, July 19, 2018, at the First Reformed Church, 401 1st Street SW, Buffalo Center, Iowa 50424, with Pastor William Peake officiating. Visitation is scheduled from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, Wednesday, July 18, 2018, at the First Reformed Church and again for one hour before the service. Burial will take place at Olena Mound Cemetery in Buffalo Center, Iowa.

Mittelstadt Funeral Home, Lake Mills, Iowa, 2018.

Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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