Bernice Koenen, age 90, of Indianola, Iowa and formerly of Storm Lake, Iowa, died Thursday, March 23, 2006 at Taylor House Hospice in Des Moines, Iowa.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, 2006 at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake, with Reverend Jamie Cutler of the United Methodist Church in Storm Lake officiating. There will be no visitation.

Esther Bernice Brisbois was born October 23, 1915 to George Henry and Iva Mae (Schroll) Brisbois in rural Alta, Iowa. She grew up in the Alta community and received her education there, graduating from Alta High School in 1933.

On February 20, 1935 Bernice was united in marriage to John Koenen at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They were blessed with a son, Jerrald and a daughter, Jeanette.

Bernice will be remembered by many people in the Storm Lake area as a kind and caring person who spent 32 years caring for people as a nursing assistant at what was then Buena Vista County Hospital. Upon retiring, she loved to work in her flower garden. After a long winter, you would often hear her remark, “I can’t wait for spring so I can dig in the dirt!”

Bernice was a loving wife, devoted mother and grandmother, and a valued friend to many. Her gentle, caring presence will be missed daily by those who knew and loved her.

Left to cherish her memory are her son, Jerrald and wife Beverly Koenen of Creston, Iowa; daughter Jeanette and husband Larry Bork of Eddyville, Iowa; nine grandchildren, many great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; sister Marjorie Pender of Alta; brother Donald Brisbois of Storm Lake; extended family and a host of friends.

Bernice was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; one sister, Betty Coxe; two brothers, Henry and James Brisbois; granddaughter Shannon Koenen; and great-granddaughter Sydnee Mae Koenen.