Berniece Thomsen

Berniece Marian Thomsen was born in Charter Oak, Iowa, on September 3, 1920,the daughter of Fred and Edith Wessel Keiner. After suffering a stroke, she died Friday, November 11, 2011, at the Denison Care Center in Denison, Iowa, at the age of 91.
She was educated in various area schools. Berniece was united in marriage to Fritz Thomsen on February 16, 1940, in Arion, Iowa. They were blessed with ten children and lived and farmed in the Dow City area until 1953. The family moved to Vail where starting in 1962, they operated the Vail Caf for many years. Her homemade bread was unsurpassed. After Fritz passed away, she went to California for a number of years where she was a nanny for a wonderful family. Berniece was a member of the Vail Presbyterian Church, Vail American Legion Auxiliary, and the Red Hat Society. She was an outstanding quilter, a collector of angels and loved to travel. She most enjoyed spending time with her many friends and family members.
Berniece was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Fritz; four sisters; three brothers; two children, Jim and Linda; and two grandsons, Randy and Jamie. Survivors include three sons: Lyle and his wife,Marcia; Paul and his wife, Denise; and Rick and his wife, Barb; five daughters: Judith and her husband, Bill; Patty and her husband, Larry; Suzanne; Gerri; and Kathy and her husband, Craig; thirty-three grandchildren; sixty great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Margaret; one sister-in-law, Marilyn; other relatives and friends.