Bernice M. Lijewski

Bernice Martha Lijewski, age 95, passed away surrounded by her family at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN on Saturday, April 14, 2012. She was a woman of great faith who immensely enjoyed her time with family and friends. She was noted for handling life’s adversities with grace, for being “tough” in the face of challenges, and for being the “anchor” of her family. In addition to her time with family and friends, she enjoyed making crafts, playing cards, working crossword and jig-saw puzzles, knitting, playing her keyboard and collecting angel figurines. She loved sports and physical activities as a participant (bowling, golf, softball) when health and age allowed and as a spectator later in life. She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis, in 1955 and her daughter Nancy Marie Graf in 2008. She was also preceded in death by two brothers, Frank Rutkowski, Msgr. Raymond Rutkowski and an infant brother, Clarence and four sisters, Josephine Danisch, Lillian Pinski, Dorothy Jensen, and Florence Yurek. She is survived by her children Carol (Jim Weiss) Bongers of Westlake, OH; Pat (Bob) Tschumper of Redmond, WA; Diane (Greg) Ling of Shoreview, MN; and son-in-law, Bill Graf of Iowa City, IA. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Bill (Corinne) Bongers of Strongsville, OH and Mark Bongers of Cleveland, OH; Brian (Sara) Tschumper of Woodinville, WA and Greg Tschumper of Oxford, MS; James Graf of Abilene, TX , Dan (Cherrianne) Graf of Fife, WA, Joe (Stefanie) Graf and Katie Graf of Iowa City, IA; and Mike (Megan) Ling of Shoreview, MN and Jeff (Tiffany) Ling of Ramsey, MN; and 14 great-grand children: Evan and Julia Bongers; Aaron, Braden, and Jordyn Tschumper; Anne Paige and Katherine Mae Tschumper; Tama and Tristan Graf; and Emilie, Benjamin and Zachary Ling; and Hunter and Ella Ling. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, April 23rd at 11:30 a.m. at St. Mary of the Lake, 4741 Bald Eagle Ave., White Bear Lake, MN. “Time for Memories” is set for Sunday, April 22nd from 3-5 p.m. at Mueller Lake Mortuary, 4738 Bald Eagle Ave., White Bear Lake, MN and 1 hour prior to the Mass at St. Mary’s Church. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.