Wilma Alice Bernhardt

Wilma Alice Reitz Bernhardt, 83 of South Sioux City passed away Sunday, May 5, 2013 surrounded by family and friends in Sioux City, Iowa from natural causes. She will be greatly missed by all the many people whose lives she has touched. Services will be at 10:30 A.M. Friday at St. Paul United Methodist Church in South Sioux City. Burial will be in Dakota City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8:00 P.M. Thursday with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Becker-Hunt Funeral Home. Wilma was born March 24, 1930 in Mapleton, IA to Albert Fred and Arrah Wanna (Ash) Reitz. She spent her childhood doting on her sisters and playing practical jokes on her brothers. She married the love of her life, Thomas Bernhardt in Elk Point, SD on May 3, 1975. While Wilma had many achievements, her greatest was her family. She excelled as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great – great grandmother, sister, aunt and wife. She was a matriarch for the whole community and took in many others as her own over the years. Wilma called South Sioux City her home, where she worked over 30 years at Callahan’s greatly enjoying her patron’s antics. Wilma loved her pets Tramp, Meme, Pepper, and Buster and collecting Beanie Babies and dolls. She enjoyed keeping up with loved ones on Facebook, playing with her numerous grandkids, giving gifts to her family, drinking coffee with friends, sharing photos, and telling humorous stories about her long and wonderful life. She is survived by her husband, Thomas Bernhardt, her children: Lloyd and Loretta Clemon of Nolanville, TX, Lynn and John Woolridge of Sioux City, IA, Lonnie and Doloros Clemon of Leawood, KS, and Albert “Ab” and Teresa Clemon of South Sioux City, her grandchildren, Robb Clemon of South Sioux City, NE, Tricia Clemon of South Sioux City, NE, Tonya Knudsen and Doug Fittipaldi of NewYork, NY, Cindy and Jake Pelt of Columbia, MO, Starla and Shannon McFarland of Arlington, TX, Leah and Jonathan Oladitan of Kansas City, MO, Lee Clemon of Berkeley, CA, Jessie Clemon of Sioux City, IA, and Krista Clemon of Huntington Beach, CA, her great grandchildren: Dylan Pelt, Austen Pelt, Kayla Pelt, Zachary Clemon, Taylor Epperly, Jeremiah Epperly, Jacob Epperly, Jordan Epperly, Jazlynn Epperly, Josh Johnson and Maya Oladitan: and one great-great grandchild Bailey Pelt; her siblings Joyce Boston of Loveland, CO, Albert “Ab” Reitz of Cameron, MO, Dick and Dona of Onawa, IA, Don and Carolyn of Harrisburg, SD and Pete Leisinger of Moville, IA. Pallbearers will be Robb, Lee and Zachary Clemon, Jeremiah Eppererly and Troy and Terry Hunt. Her greatest sadness was the loss of her younger sister Mary Lou Leisinger and her beloved son Larry Clemon.