BERNICE ANN ALICE NESS

Bernice Ann Alice (Berg) Ness, 80 of Devils Lake, ND passed away on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at Mercy Hospital, Devils Lake, ND in the loving care of her family. Funeral Services for Bernice will be held at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Devils Lake on Monday, October 12, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend Paul Balaban officiating. Burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Sunday, October 11th from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. with a Time of Remembrance and Prayer from 4:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church on Monday one hour prior to the funeral service. Casket bearers for Bernice will be her grandsons Christopher Storey, Kendall Storey, Josey Ness, Kolby Ness, Bobby Ness, Ty Ness and Levi Heisler. Bernice Ann Alice, the loving daughter of Peder H. and Kristina (Fluge) Berg was born on April 25, 1935 in the farm home on the land her Dad homesteaded, when he came from Norway. She was one of three daughters and six sons born to her parents. She was baptized by Rev. Busle, Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Starkweather, ND and confirmed at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Devils Lake by Rev. E.L. Rude. Bernice was raised on the rural Starkweather farm and went to Sullivan School in the country until 7th grade, when her parents retired and moved to Devils Lake. She attended the Devils Lake Public Schools and graduated from Central High School in 1953. Bernice was united in marriage to Robert Ness on October 16, 1953 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Pastor E.L. Rude officiated. Their wedding was a double ring ceremony with her sister, Helen Berg and Le Roy Mackey. Bernice and Robert lived in Devils Lake until March, 1954 when they moved to a farm in the Cando area. From there in the fall of 1956, a move was made to a farm north of Devils Lake and close to Webster. Thru the years of working side by side this is where they purchased some land, farmed and raised their family of 3 daughters and 2 sons. In 1968 they also started custom harvesting in the southern states and locally which lasted thirty plus years. After living on the farm for many hears, they moved to Devils Lake in 1981 and Robert retired in 1998. Their sons continued on with the operation. A celebration of their Golden Wedding Anniversary for Robert and Bernice was planned by their caring children in October 2003 with many family and friends attending. All their enjoyable visits and seeing everyone made it a very memorable occasion. Bernice was active in the community and enjoyed participating and serving as needed. She was an assistant Den Mother in Cub Scouts, served as President of Devils Lake High School Band Auxiliary, Hospitality Chairman in Parent-Teacher Association and Room Mother at Prairie View Elementary School, worked in various activities with Wrestling Boosters, Chairman of Ramsey County Cancer Drive, Charter member and President of North Dakota Ag Women (Devils Lake Chapter), charter member of Alpha Theta Chapter of Beta Sigma – Devils Lake and various other offices within the clubs. She was also a life member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. Bernice was a life member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church and a past President of WELCA. She also served on the church council and accessibility committee, was a Sunday school teacher and sang in the choir. Bernice is survived by her devoted husband of over 61 years, Robert; their loving children Kristi Storey, Karla (Ron) Heisler and Kim (Dan) Solberg, all of Fargo, Keith (Joan) Ness and Kent (Hayley) Ness, of Devils Lake; fourteen grandchildren; fifteen great grandchildren; sister Helen Mackey, Minot; brothers Alton (Edell) Berg, Peoria, IL, John (special friend, Pam) Berg, Minneapolis, MN, Richard Berg, Ordway, CO; sisters-in-law Beth Berg, Devils Lake, Betty Varty, Grass Valley, CA, Bev Wilhelmi, Medora, ND, Patsy Ordahl, Minot, ND and Betty Ness, Devils Lake and brother-in-law Harold Ness, Egeland, ND; many nieces and nephews also survive. She was preceded in death by her parents Peder and Kristina Berg; sister Margaret Anderson; brothers Donald (Leapha) Berg, Selmer (Nelda) Berg and Gordon Berg; father-in-law and mother-in-law Leo and Petra Ness; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Phylis and Orson Smestad, Howard and Edna Ness, Leo and Dorothy Ness, Lloyd Ness, Willard Varty and Ozzie Ordahl.