Bernice Agnes Flora Bauer, 97

Bernice Agnes Flora Bauer, 97, of Priest River, Idaho, died Feb. 26, 2008 ,at the Huckleberry Retirement Home in Priest River.

She was born in Watoma, Wis., on June 6, 1910, to Adolph Friederick Zanto and Flora Josephine (Lechtenberg) Zanto. The Zanto family moved from Wisconsin to the Highwood area of Montana, east of Great Falls, in 1917.

Bernice married Ernest Earl Bauer in Great Falls, Mont., on July 27, 1927. They moved with their four children to the Hoodoo Valley, where seven more children would be born. She resided on the family farm, even after the death of Ernest in 1966, until moving to Priest River in 1988.

Bernice was a member of the American Lutheran Church in Newport, Wash. Her faith meant so much to her. She was also a member of the Vay Homemakers Club in the Hoodoo Valley. She loved to sew and crochet, crocheting an afghan for each of her 32 grandchildren.

She is survived by four daughters and five sons, Albert (Diane) Bauer of Sagle, Idaho, Mable (Walter) Whittum of Black Diamond, Wash., Mary (Frank) Wells of Creston, British Columbia, Canada, Thomas (Hazel) Bauer Newport, Walter (Patricia) Bauer of Sagle, David (Barbara) Bauer of Priest River, John (Susan) Bauer of Priest River, Alice (Gary) Gornick of San Larenzo, Calif., Patricia (Michael) Kedor of Redmond, Wash.; two daughters in-law; Peggy Bauer of Ione, Wash., and Lois Bauer of Orville, Calif. Also surviving are twin sisters, Jean Weber of Watertown, Wis. and June (Louis) Beirwagon of Loma, Mont.; and a brother, Robert Zanto of Fond du Lac, Wis.; and 32 grandchildren, 72 great-grandchildren, 24 great-great-grandchildren.

Bernice was preceded in death by her parents, husband Ernest, two sons, William and Louis, three brothers and five sisters; Harold, Ernest, Elmer, Olga, Josephine, Elva, Doris, and Mable.

Family graveside services will be held Thursday, March 6, at 10 a. m. at the Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River. Memorial services will follow at 11 a.m. at the American Lutheran Church in Newport.

Memorials may be made to the Priest River Cemetery/Bench Committee, P.O. Box 296, Priest River, ID 83856, or the American Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 653, Newport, WA 99156.

Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home and Crematory in Newport is in charge of arrangements.

Family and friends are welcome to sign the online guestbook at www.sherman-knapp.com.