Bernice Saunders

Mary Bernice Saunders, daughter of Matthew Ray Cowie and Hazel Florence Clark Cowie, was born April 6, 1915 in Coon Rapids, Iowa and died March 22, 2009 at the Lakes Care Center in Oklahoma City, OK at the age of 93 years, 11 months and 16 days. Bernice, as she liked to be called, lived with her two sets of grandparents after her mother's death when she was only 3. They lived in Coon Rapids and Scotch Ridge. Her father then died when she was in her early teens. Her father's two sisters took her to Des Moines to live with them. She attended school at Calahan Junior High and Roosevelt High School. Bernice was a house maid and Leonard a truck driver when they met in 1935. They married in 1936 at Grace Methodist Church in Des Moines and moved to Dawson to a farm. They lived there for almost 30 years. In 1966 they moved to a house in Dawson. Bernice had worked at the Brenton Bank in Perry for 24 years. Leonard died December 27, 1995. Bernice moved to Oklahoma to be near her family there in 2001. Bernice enjoyed reading, sewing, gardening, and cooking. She had been supportive of her children in all of their school activities and Dawson Band Parents. Bernice was preceded in death by her parents; husband Leonard; granddaughter Teresa Capen Rubin; and son-in-law Donald Capen. Bernice is survived by her daughters, Virginia "Ginger" Capen of Carlisle, IA; Sandra S. Kinney (Jerry) of West Des Moines, IA, and Karen R. York (Loran) of Yukon, Ok; grandchildren: grandson-in-law Barry Rubin; Michael Fiala (Echo); Freeman David Fiala (Marsha) Lori Fowler, Jodi Webb (Tom); Bryan York (Joann); Philip Kinney (Jennifer) David Kinney, Douglas Kinney (Dajuan) 9 great-grandchildren: Scott Rubin (Jessica), Jonathan Fiala; Krista Fiala; Coleman Fiala; Kailyn Lofland (Daniel); Loran Gene Webb; Laura Webb; Becca Webb; Tessa York; Erin Walker (Ryan); Taylor Kinney; Benton Kinney; great-great grandchildren: Cody Walker and Caden Walker. Other relatives and friends.