Bernice Eileen Bransteter

January 10, 1923 - February 26, 2011

Bernice Eileen Mathys Bransteter, 88, a resident of the Swiss Village Retirement Community in Berne, Indiana passed away at 8:07 a.m. Saturday, February 26, 2011 at Swiss Village.

Bernice was born on January 10, 1923 in Geneva, Indiana the daughter of Clinton and Jessie (Runkel) Mathys both deceased.

Bernice was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Geneva, Indiana. She was a retired employee of the C.T.S. Corporation in Berne with twenty years of service, 8 of those years serving as a Lead Lady. Bernice had served as a 4-H leader and was a former member of the Jefferson Township Home Economics Club. She was a lifelong advocate of recycling and living green. Bernice was an avid card player, a well known area seamstress, and artist. She enjoyed gardening, her flowers, and her family.

Bernice is survived by a son, Marvin (Judy) Bransteter of Fort Wayne, Indiana; a son, Ronald (Dorothy) Bransteter of Monroe, Indiana; a daughter, Sandy Whittington of Portland, Indiana; a daughter, Sharon (James) Parks of Fort Wayne; a daughter, Dianne (Randy) Beer of Berne; a daughter, Marcia (Neal) Rich of Berne; a daughter, Kathy Rhoades-Wright of Fort Wayne; a daughter. Annette (Mark) Klopp of Berne; a brother, Raymond (Carol) Mathys of Geneva; a sister, Irene Birch of Monroe; and a sister, Roberta (Hubert) Isch of Decatur, Indiana. Other survivors include twenty-one grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Bernice was preceded in death by brothers, Clifford Mathys, Doyle Mathys, Richard Mathys, and Robert Mathys, and two sisters, Beatrice Isch and Helen Mathys.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 3, 2011 at the First United Methodist Church in Geneva with the Pastor Michael Heath officiating. Interment will be in the M.R.E. Cemetery of rural Berne.

Family and friends will be received from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at the Swiss Village Chapel and one hour prior to the funeral service at the church on Thursday.

Preferred memorials are to Family Hospice of Northeast Indiana.