Bernice Alfson

Bernice Florence Alfson, age 85, of Litchfield, died on Sunday, May 3, 2009 at her home in Litchfield, MN. Memorial service will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2009, at 3:30 PM at the Litchfield United Methodist Church with Pastor Bill Kerr officiating. Visitation will be held from 5 PM to 7 PM on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at the Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Interment will be in the Cyrus South Cemetery in Cyrus, MN. Bernice Florence Alfson was born on May 6, 1923, in Cyrus, Minnesota to Anton and Mable (Johnson) Ness. She grew up and received her education at Cyrus High School graduating in 1941. She was united in marriage to Lawrence Joseph Alfson on July 26, 1941 in Cyrus, MN. The young couple lived in Minneapolis for a short time, then Bernice returned to Cyrus with her son Ronald while Lawrence served in the US Navy. After the war the couple returned to Minneapolis for about 4 years and then built a house in Roseville, MN where children Janice and Arlen were born. In 1955, the family built a house in the village of Lauderdale where daughter Sheryle was born and where the family resided for approximately 40 years, then moved to Glenwood for 2 years. In 2000 Lawrence and Bernice built a home on Lake Ripley where they have spent 9 wonderful years and where Lawrence will continue to reside. Bernice loved the lake and all the beautiful wild life. She and Lawrence spent many hours sitting by and driving around the lake. Bernice held various positions over the years including proudly representing "World Book Encyclopedias" but was most proud of being a wonderful wife, homemaker and mother. She was a very good cook and highly accomplished seamstress. Where ever they lived, the church and her faith were essential parts of Bernice’s life; a faith she gently, surely and successfully passed on to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Although Bernice was raised and married in the Cyrus Lutheran Church, she was a member of Salem Evangelical Free Church in Minneapolis, MN for the majority of her adult life. Bernice didn’t just send her children to Sunday School, she took them herself and was active with all of their many other activities. When they moved to Litchfield, Bernice enjoyed many activities at the Litchfield United Methodist Church, but particularly enjoyed hearing daughter Janice and her granddaughters participate in the churches music program. She loved music and enjoyed accompanying her family on the piano. Bernice is survived by her husband Lawrence of Litchfield, MN, children; Ronald (and Paula) Alfson of Tulsa, OK, Janice (and Dan) Dixon of Litchfield, MN, Arlen Alfson of South Pasadena, CA, Sheryle (and Dean) Hazard of Stillwater, MN, 8 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and sister Phyllis Helgerson of Cyrus, MN. She is preceded in death by her father Anton Ness, mother Mable Ness, brother Abner Ness and sister Mildred Emery.