Bernadine was born on July 26, 1927, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Minneapolis, to William and Theresa (Kauth) Busch. She grew up in Golden Valley, Minnesota, the eldest of five children and attended grade school at Sacred Heart School in Robinsdale and graduated from St. Margaret’s Academy in Minneapolis. She pursued a major in home economics at the University of Minnesota. In 1949 she accepted the position of Rock County Extension Home Agent, where she worked with the Women’s Extension Program and 4-H Program. She married John Francis (Jack) Merrill on December 27, 1951, at St. Joseph’s Church in Minneapolis. They raised a family of six children. Bernadine was a homemaker and was involved in many organizations. She was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church, LCCW, ARC, Beta Sigma Phi and Zeta Tau Alpha. She enjoyed volunteering, playing the piano and organ, sewing, knitting and bridge. Bernadine was a 4-H leader and Girl Scout leader and served in the DAC Board. Interacting with family was her greatest joy.
She died May 5, 2025, in St. Cloud.
Survivors include children Martha (Kevin) Petersen, St. Cloud, Minnesota, Margaret (Tim) Petrick, Clancy, Montana, Michael Merrill, Phoenix, Arizona, Mark (Tara) Merrill, DeSoto, Kansas, Melissa Merrill, Luverne, Minnesota, and son-in-law Paul Hatrick, Litchfield, Minnesota; eight grandchildren, Lindsay (Mike) Neumann, Nicole (Ryan) Lindberg, Amanda Petersen, Christopher Petrick, Kathryn (Colin) Prato, Aaron (Hannah) Hatrick, Christopher (Mia) Merrill, and Joshua (Ilona) Merrill; and five great-grandchildren, Jacqueline, Kurt, Brixtin, Bexli and Cooper.
She is also survived by her sister Mary (Lyle) Treptau, Burnsville, Minnesota, and sister-in-law Margie Busch, Plymouth, Minnesota, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her daughter Mary Merrill Hatrick, her brother Robert Busch, sister-in-law Helga Marlow, her sister Ann Mykelby and brother-in-law Donald Mykelby, and brother Leonard Busch.
Funeral mass will be Monday, July 28, at St. Catherine Church in Luverne with a rosary service and visitation at 9 a.m. and funeral at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to The Arc Minnesota - arcminnesota.org or St. Catherine’s Catholic Church.
