Bernice Mueggenberg, age 80 of Sac City, IA, passed away peacefully on August 9, 2024, at home surrounded by her family. 

   Bernice Haverman was born on October 2, 1943, in Carroll, IA, the oldest of 6 girls to Lawrence and Mary (Rotert) Haverman. The family resided on a farm near Roselle, IA. Bernice helped with farm work and attended country school through the 8^th grade. She graduated from Kuemper Catholic High School in Carroll in 1961.

   After high school, Bernice lived with a couple girlfriends in Carroll while working at a grocery store and the office of St. Anthony’s Hospital. Soon after, she would meet the love of her life, Laverne Mueggenberg, at a dance in Arcadia, IA. They were united in marriage on September 7, 1963, at Holy Angel’s Catholic Church in Roselle.

   Laverne lived on the Mueggenberg family farm just north of Sac City and after the wedding, Bernice joined him. They were blessed with three children: Roger, Randy, and Donna. She embraced farm life as a mother, farmwife, and homemaker by preparing meals, caring for the children, walking countless miles of beans, butchering chickens, milking cows, feeding livestock, gathering eggs, canning sweetcorn, and so much more. Bernice, Laverne, and the kids were such a close knit family due to the life they lived on the farm; always working side by side.

   When Roger, Randy, and her son-in-law Jim Geery opened MGM Plumbing, Heating & AC in 1997, Bernice became their bookkeeper and secretary; she was always happy to make the guys lunch several  several times a week. Oh could she cook! Her Sunday dinners were the best and she made sure nobody ever left hungry. Come December every year, the hunting crew looked forward to her deer stew, chili, and of course lots of cookies and bars in the deer shed. Her grandkids will always remember dancing to her favorite artists, Daniel O’Donnell, Kenny Rogers, and Charlie Pride, at her house as she baked her famous chocolate chip cookies and lemon bars for them. An excellent quilter, Bernice sewed a quilt for every grandchild and great-grandchild..

   Bernice had a strong Catholic faith. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sac City for over sixty years. She served as a guild member, guild President, choir member for over 25 years, and 2^nd grade CCD teacher for over 20 years. 

   Bernice and Laverne loved dancing together, often going to Arcadia and the Lakewood Ballroom during their 53 years of marriage. She took several trips with Laverne to Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Hawaii, California, Tennessee, and Michigan. After partially retiring in 2020 from MGM, Bernice and Donna took a memorable mother-daughter trip to Savannah, GA, and Charleston, SC. Sister get-togethers for Bernice were always a fun event as she was close with them all.

   Bernice loved her family fiercely. She felt very blessed that they all lived close by which made it possible for her to attend their activities until her last days. Rest assured, she is now dancing up above with Laverne in God’s beautiful paradise. 

   She will be lovingly remembered by her children, Roger (Beth) Mueggenberg, Randy (Bonnie) Mueggenberg, and Donna (Jim) Geery all of Sac City; grandchildren: Matt (Kellie) Mueggenberg, Eric Mueggenberg, Ben (Kristen) Mueggenberg all of Sac City, Paige (Josh) Alesch of Ida Grove, Kolin (Jackie) Mueggenberg of North Liberty, Kayla (Taggart) Phillips of Sac City, Justin (Lexi) Geery of Spirit Lake, and bonus granddaughter Makayla (Reece) Potthoff of Sac City; great-grandchildren: Mia and Cole Mueggenberg, Finn, Jade, and Wren Mueggenberg, Nina and River Alesch, Cal Mueggenberg, Parker and Mari Phillips, Olson and Barrett Geery; sisters: Arlene Mueggenberg of Breda, Alvina (Allen) Thelen of Anita, Leona (John) Mueggenberg of Breda, Marian (Bob) Sturm of Ankeny, and Janet (Ron) Brincks of Roselle; sister-in-law Delores Mueggenberg of Storm Lake; many nieces, nephews, other extended family members and friends, and of course her dear K9 companion, Roxy.

   Bernice was preceded in death by her husband, Laverne Mueggenberg; parents Lawrence and Mary Haverman; parents-in-law Ben and Kathryn Mueggenberg; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Dale Mueggenberg, Merlin Mueggenberg, Walter and Grace Mueggenberg, Dorothy and Ivan Cressler, Alvina and Joe Gesy, and Leona and John Alexa.