Pauline Berner
March 3, 1929 — April 6, 2014
Pauline “Joyce” Berner, 85, of Davenport, died in her sleep Sunday morning, April 6, 2014 at home.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM Wednesday April 9, 2014 at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf. Visitation will be from 4 PM – 6 PM Tuesday April 8, 2014 at the funeral home. Burial will be held at Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the donor’s favorite charity.
Joyce was born in 1929 to J. Ryce and Madge Jones in Lime Springs, Iowa. She graduated from Lime Springs High and married Howard Berner in 1947. He preceded her in death in 1992 after 44 years of marriage. Together, they had 3 children, but that was never enough. So, they became foster parents to several children over a 25 year period. Joyce, also, had a daycare at home, before daycare was fashionable. After her children were in school all day, Joyce went to work at Sears Manufacturing, retiring in 1991.
Joyce was family oriented and believed nothing was more important than family. The last four years of her life were difficult, as her independence, mobility, and memory left her. As per her wishes, she died in her home, where she had lived for the last 60 years. Joyce was the last remaining person of her generation, in the Jones and Berner Clan, making her the matriarch of the family. She loved watching birds and her dog, Casey.
Joyce is survived by her 3 children Denny (Cindy), Colleen, and Ed (Connie Gregg); her “other” children Shirley Gunsolley, Bob Gunsolley, and Julie Campbell; her 6 grandchildren Kevin Berner, Tammy Knuth, Debbie Meierotto, Brandon Berner, Matt Gunsolley, and Stephanie Runge; her nine great grandchildren Jordan, Jensen, Bill and Lauryn Knuth, Jake and Jarrett Berner, Brooklyn Berner, Rylee and Hunter Runge and Ayla. She was preceded in death by her husband Howard; her parents; two granddaughters Heather Fuller and Tama Berner;
Special thanks to her long time caregiver, Emma LaRue, who also became family, to Dr. Chris Crome, who always treated her with the utmost respect, and to Genesis Hospice for their care.