Bernice Commers

BERNICE CORA WETRICH

NICKELL COMMERS

Wellman

Bernice Cora Wetrich Nickell Commers was born on the family farm in Wellman, Iowa, on July 28, 1914, and went home to be with her Lord on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, just nine minutes shy of turning 106½ at Parkview Manor in Wellman. She was the daughter of Earnest and Mable Mae (Walton) Wetrich. She graduated from Wellman High School in 1932 and lived in Washington County her entire life. She was united in marriage to Verlin Nickell in Monticello, Mo., on June 20, 1936. They were blessed with three children, Nancy, Bill and Linda. Verlin died Oct. 1, 1960. She married Richard Commers on Aug. 7, 1970. He died Jan. 1, 1975.

She was a country school teacher and later was one of the first special education teachers in Washington County. One of her highlights of teaching was corresponding with Laura Ingalls Wilder. She retired in 1980 after 32 years of teaching. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Wellman, where she taught Sunday school, Bible school, served as deaconess and was a member of the Dorcas Missionary Society. She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge, Heritage Agency on Aging and the Cancer Board of Washington County, along with many other volunteer services in the community. She volunteered for all fund raising affairs for the new senior citizen center in Wellman and frequently drove senior citizens to hospitals, doctors appointments and shopping. She received the 1986 Outstanding Senior Citizen award from the state of Iowa. She enjoyed family, church, reading, traveling and friends at the senior center, but her greatest passion was serving others.

She is survived by three children, Nancy (Gene) Scott of Wellman, Bill (LaVerna) Nickell of Wellman and Linda (Tom) Winterburn of Corinth, Texas; and 10 grandchildren, Carol Glass, Donna (Paul) Ford, David (Emily) Scott, Jeff (Monika) Capper, Eric (Shara) Capper, Lisa (Jeff) Cole, James (Candra) Nickell, Todd Winterburn, Scott Winterburn and Kristi (Michael) Kersey. She had 19 great-grandchildren and six great- great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; a brother, Ward Wetrich; a great-grandson, Kevin Glass; and one great-great-granddaughter, Lauren Bauer.

Celebration of Life services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, at First Baptist Church in Wellman. The service will be livestreamed on Powell Funeral Home's Facebook page or website. Burial is in the Wellman Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Powell Funeral Home in Wellman. Please practice social distancing. Masks are required. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the First Baptist Church or Wellman Senior Dinning. Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com.