Eva Mae (Tucker) Bernard

Eva Mae (Tucker) Bernard, 92, died on Friday, November 5, 2021, at the Halstad Living Center, Halstad, MN.

Eva Mae (Tucker) Bernard was born January 4, 1929, to Umria and Nettie Tucker, in Webster County, Iowa. As a child, the family moved to the Chatfield, MN area. Eva graduated from Chatfield High School in 1946. While in high school, she earned several academic awards, served on the high school newspaper, and worked at the Silver Grille. On January 15, 1947, she married Leonard Bernard at the Chatfield Methodist Church. They made their first home on the Basil Bernard farm near Pleasant Grove, MN. In 1950, Leonard and Eva bought their farm west of Chatfield and spent time in Johnsondale, CA with the Loren and Edna Bernard family, where the men worked in a lumber camp.

Eva was a homemaker and busy farm wife in Chatfield. While living there, she did the books for the Co-op Oil Station, was active in the Methodist Church Ladies group, Christmas Tea and Bazaar, Eastern Star, Homemakers Club, Bake Sales, Pleasant Grove Riders Saddle Club, and a 4-H leader for the Pleasant Grove Producers 4-H Club. Combined with her years as a leader in the Halma Ideal 4-H Club, she was honored for 30 years of 4-H service. She moved to Karlstad in October 1970 and was active in the Baptist Church, Hospital Guild, and served on the Hospital Board.

After Leonard’s death July 4, 1971, she studied and got her real estate license and continued his business for several years. She also worked and later retired from the Karlstad Nursing Home Activity and Dietary Departments. She had a talent for numbers and did income taxes for other people into her 80’s.

She enjoyed going to the cafe for coffee with her friends, caring for her flowers and yard, was an excellent seamstress making church altar cloths, wedding gowns, and many formals. Other hobbies included her horses, fishing, reading, a lifetime of feeding and watching birds, feeding deer at her picnic table in town, and relocating squirrels with her great-grandchildren. She was always willing to give rides to church functions, Heritage School programs, or just shopping when needed. She traveled to Chatfield, MN and Denver, CO frequently to visit family, to Medora, ND every summer and Tucson, AZ to see friends many times over the years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Leonard in 1971; son Wayne in 2021 and his wife Wendy in 2013; and dear friend of 30+ years, Bill Nelson of rural Kennedy, MN, in 2018; and all of her siblings Glen (& Loretta) Tucker, Everett “Eb” (& Eileen) Tucker, Leonard (& Shirley) Tucker, Violet (& Merrill) Hanson, Marge (& Ed) Bell, Lawrence “Merle” Tucker, Leona (& Wayne) West.

She is survived by her children, Shirley (Paul) Anderson, Strandquist, MN, Diane (Owen) Hagen, Grygla, MN, and Dale (Dodi) Bernard, Pryor, MT; grandchildren Kim (Sandi) Bernard, Kelly (Steve) Talamantes, Daniel (Kimberly) Bernard, Lacey (Kevin) Martinson, Jennifer (Dave) Janssen, Kristopher (Kami) Anderson, Kenrick (Morganne) Anderson, Cindy Hagen, Katie Hagen, Laura Hagen, NiLok Wong, Brandy (Ben) Carrywater, and Nicole Bernard; great-grandchildren RJ, Ashly, Nicole, Wyatt, William, Alysha, Angel, Aaron, Kathy, Danie, Wendy, Bethany, Nathaniel, Liam, Dillon, Jazmyn, Shayl, Shya and Jysen; great-great-granddaughters Morgan and Aurora; sisters-in-law Donna Tucker and Eva E. Bernard; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral service for Eva will be 10 a.m. on Friday, November 26, 2021, at United Methodist Church in Chatfield, with visitation one hour before the service, at the church. Burial will be in Chatfield Cemetery.

Online condolences are welcome at rileyfuneralhomes.com

May her memory be blessed.

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