Obituary of Walter W. Berns

Walter William Berns, age 94, of Dundee, Michigan passed away on January 23, 2014 at Mercy Memorial Hospital in Monroe after a short illness. He was a lifelong resident of Monroe County. Born in Raisinville Township on February 26, 1919, his parents were Henry and Edna Heiden Berns. He attended Bridge School and spent his youth helping his father on the farm. Mr. Berns farmed for many years and was president of the Reynolds School area Farm Bureau. He also worked at Brewer Poultry Farm and then the Ypsilanti plant of Ford Motor Company where he retired in 1985 after 30 years. After his retirement he remained active in the community and took care of the gardens at Triangle Park and the Old Mill Museum in Dundee. At the Old Mill he gave talks to school groups about his experiences growing up on a farm in the 1920’s and during the Great Depression. He received the Governor’s Minute Man Award in 1986 and he and his wife Madelyn were Dundee’s Citizens of the Year in 1993. He was a member of Prince of Peace Church Lutheran Church in Ida; served on the church board, building committee and taught Sunday school. He was an active member of the dartball team for 55 years. Mr. Berns was well known for his visits to shut-ins and friends in hospital or nursing homes. He enjoyed fishing, gardening and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was a loyal fan of the Detroit Tigers Baseball. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother Lavern Berns and sister Doris Althoff. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Madelyn Hanson Berns; children Karen (Roger) Wheaton of Ann Arbor, Lauren (Debra) Berns of Georgia, Allen (Barbara) Berns of Dundee, Margie (Tony Silva) Berns of Indiana and Gwendolyn White of Virginia; sisters Laura Shoemaker of Manistee, Eva McCarthy of Illinois, Linda Miller of Bloomfield Hills, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Visiting hours Saturday 4 – 8 PM and Sunday 2-8 PM at Cover Funeral Home in Dundee. He will lie in state Monday., January 27, 2014 from 10 AM until 11 AM service’s at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Ida. Officiating will be Rev. Ted Kerr III, pastor of the church. Interment at St. Matthew’s Cemetery in Raisinville Township. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Old Mill Museum, Dundee, or Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Online condolences at www.coverfuneralhome.com