Bernice Leona Garber

Bernice Leona Garber, the daughter of Thomas and Agnetta “Nettie” Jorgensen Thomsen, was born August 23, 1916, in Kimballton, Iowa and died June 14, 2015, at the Phoenix Mountain Care Center in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 98 years, 9 months and 21 days.
Bernice was baptized and confirmed at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton, Iowa. She attended school in Kimballton through the 8th grade then being one of 11 children had to stay home and help take care of her siblings. Later on June 11, 1981, she proudly received her G.E.D. after taking classes while living in Gunnison, Colorado. Bernice worked for the telephone company in Kimballton, Iowa.
On July 14, 1941, she was united in marriage to John S. Garber at the Catholic Rectory in Atlantic, Iowa. Four children Thomas James, Carol Ann, Mary Jean, and Michael John were born to this union. They moved to Audubon, Iowa and Bernice was employed at several businesses including Northwestern Bell Telephone Company, Jensen Clothing Store, and Dr. H.T. Barnes. In 1969 they moved to Gunnison, Colorado where Bernice was a housekeeper for several families. They retired and moved to a retirement village north of Phoenix, Arizona in 1988. Later they moved in with their daughter Carol and husband Robert in Phoenix. John died August 26, 2008. Bernice continued to live with Carol and Robert until she moved to the Phoenix Mountain Care Center in November of 2014.
Bernice was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Phoenix, Arizona. She was an avid organist and was a long-time volunteer for the American Red Cross in Audubon.
She was preceded in death by her husband John S. Garber; her grandson Daniel Garber; her parents; her brothers and sisters an infant sister Golda Thomsen, Goldie and husband Chuck Callin; Hans and wife Agnes Thomsen, Edna Powell, Bruce and wife Elva Thomsen, Marjorie and husband Bill Price, and Tommy Thomsen; her brothers-in-law George P. Garber and Max Bacon.
Survivors include her children Thomas J. and wife Dona Garber of Audubon, Iowa, Carol A. and husband Robert Zaller of Phoenix, Arizona, Mary J. Jones of Hopedale, Massachusetts, and Michael J. and wife Shari Garber of Perry, Iowa; her grandchildren Sharon and husband Steve Messer of Runnells, Iowa, Cynthia and husband Jeff Deist of Audubon, Iowa, Brad and wife Stacy Garber of Surprise, Arizona, Eric and wife Nancy Zaller of Union City, California, Anthony and wife Julie Zaller of Del Rey, California, Luke Zaller and fiancée Florence Barrio of LaJolla, California, Annie Jones of Boston, Massachusetts; her step-grandchildren Mindy and husband Lynn Van Beek of Sioux Center, Iowa, Matt and wife Stacy Motsick of Shawnee Mission, Kansas; her great grandchildren Kaytlyn Messer, Lisa Messer, David Garber, Samantha Garber, A.J. Zaller, William Zaller, Peter Zaller; Payton, Daniel and Cael Van Beek, Emily and Acton Motsick; her sister Muriel Bacon of Harlan, Iowa; her brothers Burdette and wife Nan Thomsen of Apple Valley, California, Eugene and wife Robin Thomsen of Elk Horn, Iowa; her sisters-in-law Lillian Thomsen of Spring Hill, Florida and Mary Garber of Walker, Minnesota; nieces, nephews other relatives and many friends.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted by Father Emmanuel Agwuoke C.S.Sp. on Saturday, September 5, 2015, at 10:30 A.M. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Audubon, Iowa. Inurnment will be in St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery near Audubon, Iowa.