Bernice Ursenbach Obituary (1926 - 2021)

Funeral services for Bernice Ursenbach will be broadcast on Saturday, July 17, 2021 beginning at 11:00 AM MST. Please see the screen below to view services. When a young, precocious Nettie Bernice Ohlin (Ursenbach) recited the poem "Little Orphant Annie" for her grandfather, he wept, telling her mother, "Oh she's too smart and too good for this world. She won't last long!" We agree with his first statement, but are grateful Bernice lasted every one of her 95+ years, and we would have taken a few more! Bernice's April 3, 1926 birth was a delight to parents Carl Gustav Ohlin (51) and mother Jeanette "Nettie" Sturton Goodall (44), though siblings Amber (17), Spencer (15), Fern (11) and Ethel (8) had mixed feelings. Ethel didn't like being replaced as the youngest and Spencer wanted a brother. Nettie's prayers that Spencer would accept his sister were answered when one-day-old Bernice smiled at him upon their first meeting. Spencer was hooked and became a doting brother. Though Bernice was raised in an era marked by economic depression and war, her home was nurturing and safe. In the fall of 1943, Granite High senior "Niecie" walked home from church with Wayne Ursenbach, days after he broke up with her friend Melva (they'd spent the meeting exchanging notes about it!) and as she described it later, "That was the beginning of the rest of my life." They wed in the Logan temple during an army furlough on July 27, 1944. Wayne shipped to Europe later that year, and 9 -1/2 months after his return in May of 1946, they welcomed their first child, Sylvia, whom Mom described as "quite the most marvelous child ever born (with time revealing that ALL of their children were in the same category!") Those children included Stephen, Kathleen, Brent, Carol and twins Marilyn and Maurine. Marilyn, who left us in August 2013, was no doubt the first to greet Bernice upon her return to heaven on June 29, 2021. Bernice was a homemaker in the most complete sense of the word, as she capably managed all aspects of family life. She learned from her mother, whose floors were 'so clean you could eat off them'. Mom said she never met that standard, but her mother had worked hard, and Bernice did the same. Despite HER life generally being in order, when others' lives were not, she helped in any way she could. She did her best to be there for each of her children and her love for them was always clear. Bernice was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout her life, filled her callings capably and especially loved her service in the temple, including time as assistant matron in the Salt Lake Temple and later, matron of the Laie Temple. Her dementia seemed to disappear when she bore her testimony or participated in temple worship. Bernice loved the written word. She was an avid reader and read to her children while she did the weekly ironing. When her oldest left for college, Mom began sending a weekly letter and Wayne continues that practice today. She kept a daily journal, wrote a family history, and updated it as a Christmas gift for many years. In her PTA service she became editor of the state publication "Sound Off" and she also wrote human-interest stories for a local paper, "The Green Sheet". Bernice spent many years as a volunteer in the PTA, rose to leadership positions and in 1981 received National Honorary Life Membership. She was a voting registrar for years and her home was a voting site until a home remodel made that impractical. She was also a member of the DAR. She was amused to be asked to serve as president of Rotary Anns, as she had seldom participated and had actually been somewhat critical of the group, but she accepted the assignment, changed the focus of the activities to service instead of socializing and found it a very satisfying experience. She was blessed to travel, and was in awe that she was able to visit many other countries, but San Francisco was always her favorite vacation spot. Bernice had several close life long friends, but she was actually a friend to all. Tempting baked goods were often off limits to the family because they were going to someone in need. She regularly sent notes of comfort, encouragement or congratulations. She developed the ability to be with people in their grief after she neglected to visit a dying friend because she didn't know what to say. In her regret she vowed to do better. She and Wayne visited and learned to love an inmate at the Utah State Prison as part of a Family Home Evening Program, and it made her reconsider previous beliefs about criminal justice. Once the family home allowed for guests, Bernice welcomed them with open arms. Her family history reads as a veritable register of visits from relatives, friends of children and even perfect strangers, all staying in the "Ursenbach Hotel" as she often called it. Dinner guests were also frequent and welcome. Besides her faith in God, the one constant in her life was her relationship with her beloved Wayne, who might be just a bit lost without her. Near the end of her life, Bernice commented that 'once she was confused'. Daughter Kathy explained that she had a disease that caused it, and that it also made it hard for her to remember things. "Well, that's a fine how do you do!" was Bernice's response. Dad assured her that her family could remember things for her and then she was okay. As questions came up near the end, her usual response was, "What does Wayne think?" What a great love they shared! When Bernice was in high school, she was required to memorize Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life" and the words came to define her life: "Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime And departing leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time: Footprints that perhaps another...seeing, shall take heart again." We are all so grateful for the example of love, service and absolute integrity our mother set for us! Funeral services: Saturday, July 17, 2021. 11:00 am. Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home: 1007 W. South Jordan Parkway; South Jordan, Utah. Viewing: Friday, July 16, 2021, 6:00 pm -8:00 pm, also at Jenkins-Soffe, and one hour prior to the services. The funeral services will also be available via Zoom. Interment will take place at Elysian Burial Gardens. The family would like to thank Bernice's caregivers at Sagewood, especially in Memory Care, and Valeo Home Health and Hospice for the loving care they gave to our sweet mother in the final months of her life. They also appreciate the care given by Jenkins-Soffe. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Missionary Fund.