Bernice Johannes

Bernice ( Dietz ) Johannes
April 30, 1917 – October 4, 2012

Bernice was born April 30, 1917 to American immigrants Joseph Detz from Warsaw, Poland and Katherine Tryjonowski of Krakow, Poland. She grew up with seven siblings in Columbia Heights and Coon Rapids. Bernie left school by 8th grade to help her father on the farm. Baking yeasted breads since age seven, mom never needed a recipe to make her traditional poppy seed and nut breads. While her fiancé was serving overseas in the India Burma China theatre, Mom became a " Rosie the Riveter" at the Arden Hills Munitions plant. After the war, she married Cyril Johannes on 11-17-1945 in Immaculate Conception Church. They started a family and eventually(1950) moved from the Heights to Spring Lake Park, where they built a home and raised their seven children. Every member of the family participated in the growing and harvest of our organic vegetables and fruits, including seedless watermelons and black walnuts.

When the kids grew older, Bernie began working as a silk-screener at Victor Marsh Bottling Co. Her precision and eye for detail, from years of sewing, made her the preferred silk-screener.

Always a cooperative and self-less person, her kindness and gratitude for what others did for her, remained until she died.

Preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Katherine Dietz, 4 sisters and 2 brothers, her husband Cyril Johannes. Lovingly missed by children Theresa, Robert (Lucy), Katherine, Dorothy (Marvin) Wright, Marree, James and Richard. 8 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Also numerous nieces and nephews.