Marie Clara Smeins, 87, Luverne, died Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, at Ava’s Hospice House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
A funeral Mass was Monday, Dec. 21, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne. Burial was at St. Catherine Cemetery in Luverne.
Marie Berning was born Nov. 21, 1933, to Henry and Louise (Farwick) Berning in rural Nobles County. She graduated from Lismore High School in 1951.
Marie married Myron Smeins on Aug. 4, 1951, at Camp Rucker in Dale County, Alabama. They lived in Alabama for a couple of years before moving to Luverne, where they lived for the rest of their lives. Marie was the mother of five children and a homemaker. When the children were grown, Marie took calls for the Rendering Company from her home. She was also a seamstress for many stores in Luverne and for her customers for 37 years. She served as custodian at St. Catherine for four years and was distribution manager for the Star-Herald newspaper.
Marie was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne, where she taught religion classes for over 20 years. She loved sports, especially watching hockey, baseball, football and basketball. She enjoyed nature, playing cards and bingo, and going to casinos. She painted with oils and enjoyed teaching children the beauty of painting.
Marie is survived by her five children, Dan (Marie) Smeins and Dave (Tammy) Smeins, all of Luverne, Debra (Steve) Woltjer of Grand Junction, Colorado, Duane (friend Barb Wallace) Smeins of Carbondale, Colorado, and Darin Smeins of Luverne; 11 grandchildren, Rob (friend Amanda Stevens) Woltjer, Mike Woltjer, David (Brittany) Smeins, Dana (Josh) Klay, Dustin (Dawn) Smeins, Darcy (friend Garrett Beaner) Smeins, Diana (fiancé Niic Mark) Smeins, Jessie (Skylar) McAllister, Nikki (Will) MacLeod, Dalton (Jada) Smeins and Isabel Smeins; 12 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Alvin Berning of Luverne, Ed Berning of Adrian, and Jim Berning of Owatonna; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Myron, in 1982; an infant brother, Raphael; a brother, George Berning; a sister, Lorraine Van Peursem; four sisters-in-law, Gert, Delores, Rita and Doris Berning; and a brother-in-law, Ralph Van Peursem.
Arrangements were provided by Dingmann Funeral Home of Luverne, dingmannandsons.com.
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