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Bernadean Catherine Florke, the daughter of Albert and Ida (Peters) Zinn, was born April 7, 1928, in Hartley. She was baptized at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hartley in May of 1928 by Pastor A.C. Weber. She was confirmed April 2, 1944, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Sutherland by the late Pastor E.E. Greene.
She lived around the Hartley area and went to country school until seventh grade, when the family moved to Larrabee. She finished high school and graduated with the class in May of 1947. Bernadean worked at J.C. Penney’s in Cherokee. Bernadean met her husband, Albert, at the roller-skating rink and they were married Jan. 16, 1949, at Bethel Lutheran Church.
Following their marriage, they made their home on a farm southwest of Alta, where their two children were born, Diane and Rick. While living in the Alta area they attended St. Paul Lutheran Church in Alta. In the spring of 1970, they moved to a farm in the Hartley area and in 1975, they moved to Spencer. Bernadean worked at Carroll’s Bakery for 15 years. She was a member of First English Lutheran Church in Spencer where she served on the Altar Guild and as a greeter. Following their retirement, Albert and Bernadean wintered in Arizona. She continued to travel to Arizona following the death of Albert in 1996. She enjoyed 20 winters there. She cleaned homes in the Spencer area until 2020 at the age of 92.
In her spare time, Bernadean enjoyed baking pies and playing cards with her friends. Her greatest enjoyment came from spending time with her family sharing trips, meals and attending school activities her grandchildren were in.
She passed away on July 30, 2025, at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer at the age of 97.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, Aug. 28, at 1:30 p.m. at First English Lutheran Church in Spencer, with Pastor Paul Kaldahl officiating. Interment will be held in North Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Spencer. Warner Funeral Home of Spencer is in charge of arrangements.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Albert; two brothers, infant brother Robert and Forrest; two sisters, Arlene Tapper and Elaine Buenger.
Left to cherish her memory are her two children: Diane (Bruce) Edwards of Storm Lake; and Rick (Ruth) Florke of Spencer; seven grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; her brother Kenneth (Karen) Zinn of Sioux Valley, Minn.; sister Beverly Elgersma of Sanborn; sister-in-law Deloris Clayton of Marshalltown; other relatives and friends.
