Bernice Poesch, age 87, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at Arlington Place in Oelwein, Iowa on January 5, 2018.  Bernice is preceded in death by her parents, George and Eva Brainard, father-in-law and mother-in-law Edward and Melvina Poesch, husband Leslie Poesch, husband Lester Friederich, infant daughter Anne Catherine, and grandson Casey Jay Walker.  Bernice was also preceded in death by seven brothers Dale (Erna) Brainard, Lee (Donna) Brainard, John (Shirley) Brainard, Keith (Jenetta) Brainard, Ray Brainard, Gene (Charlene) Brainard, and Edgar Brainard, her two sisters Barbara (Kenneth) Schori, and Janice (Leland) Walby Glaim, and Russell Enyart.  Bernice is also preceded in death by brother-in-law Lyle Poesch and sister-in-law Jessie Poesch, and nieces Jana Rupnick and Rhonda Radloff, and nephew Bradley Brainard.

Bernice is survived by her children Donna (Ron Shepherd) Poesch of LeClaire, Iowa; Elaine (Miron) Walker of Oelwein, Iowa; Lowell (Sally) Poesch of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Charles (Karma) Poesch of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and by step-children Annette Rurup, Denise Friederich, and April (T-Bird) Templeton. Bernice is survived by grandchildren Steven Jerome, Carrie Walker (Abel Miller), Gregory Walker, Dylan (Jacobi) Poesch, Erika Poesch, Carly, Chris, Collin, and Chelsea Poesch, and by step-grandchildren Jessica (Bryan) Bennett and family and Austin Rurup. Bernice is also survived by sisters-in-law Darlene Brainard, Shirley Brainard, Orril Brainard, niece Carol Barron, and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

Bernice was born on February 15, 1930.  She was raised in Postville, Iowa, graduated from Postville High School in 1947, and taught at West Grove Country School for two years.  In December 1948, Bernice married Leslie Poesch.  They lived in Postville, and in 1976, remodeled and moved to the family farm in which she was raised.  Leslie passed away in 1983, and in April 1986 she married Lester Friederich, and lived in Luana, Iowa.  Bernice was a long-time member of the Post-Franklin Study Club.  She also belonged to the Eve Circle at St. Paul Lutheran Church, the Grand Meadow Country Club, and was an honorary member of United Presbyterian Women. Throughout her life Bernice greatly enjoyed her children and grandchildren, sharing her great sense of humor with them.  She enjoyed friends, gardening, flower arranging, bowling, golfing, water skiing, bicycling, knitting, and baking.  Bernice loved the outdoors and exercise.  She moved next door to Elaine and Miron Walker in Oelwein, Iowa in 2013 where she continued to walk the neighborhood, and bake cinnamon rolls, pies, and chocolate chip cookies.

There will be a Celebration of Life at the St.  Paul Lutheran Church, 116 East Military Road, Postville, Iowa, on Saturday, February 24, 2018 with Visitation at 11:00 a.m. and Memorial Service at 12:00 p.m.