Bernice Agnes Skierka

Bernice Agnes Skierka was born in St. Paul, Minnesota to Paul and Matilda (Beste) Biegalke on March 2, 1920. She was the oldest of six children. Her parents moved to and homesteaded northeast of Chester where she was raised. Bernice’s elementary school years began at the Biegalke country school, north of Joplin. When the weather was good Bernice and her brothers and sisters traveled to school by horse and buggy. Many times they walked. As winter set in, their dad would drive them in a two-horse sleigh to school. When Bernice began her ninth grade, her parents drove her to Shelby where she rode a train to Great Falls. There, she boarded at St. Thomas Orphanage where she could obtain a Catholic education from the Ursaline Sisters. When Bernice was sixteen years old, she and her brother, Paul (14) were helping their dad thrash grain. A threatening storm caused the horses to bolt and run away with the thrasher. Thinking the younger kids were on the thrasher, her dad jumped into their Model T Ford to try and catch the run-away horses. Feeling ill, he stopped in the middle of the field, got out and slumped over on the running board. Bernice and Paul ran toward their dad when they arrived, he managed to stand up, and then suddenly collapsed in Bernice’s arms as he died from a heart attack. Bernice and her family faithfully attended Mass and received the Sacraments at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Chester. In 1940, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Miss Bernice Biegalke approached John Skierka and invited him to come out some Sunday to visit her and her family. To her surprise, John showed up that very afternoon! Years later, John quipped, that he found his bride at the Communion rail! By this, he meant that he wanted a bride that was a frequent Communicant. The following September 22, 1941, they took their wedding vows. In the coming years, they were blessed with eight children. In them, John and Bernice instilled the love of the true Catholic Faith and daily recitation of the family Rosary. After forty-nine years of marriage, John passed away and Bernice continued to live on the family farm. On March 2nd of this year, Bernice happily celebrated her 100th birthday. On this momentous occasion, she thoroughly enjoyed the company of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Recently her health began to fail. She offered up her sufferings patiently and resigned herself to God's Will. Bernice passed away well-fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother the Church. Surviving her are her children, Rita Bogner, Barbara Kalafat, Frederick Skierka, Reverend Martin Skierka, Sr., Virginia Maria, Veronica de Wit, Vincent Skierka, and Leo Skierka; 56 grandchildren; and 105 great-grandchildren. Bernice was preceded in death by her husband, John W. Skierka; brothers, Paul and Francis Biegalke; sisters, Dolores Hortsch, Madonna Lovelace, and Rosemary Montayne; three grandsons, Samuel and Anthony Kalafat, and Francis Skierka; and one great-grandson, Mark Lightner.