Bernadine M. Niehues

Bernadine M. Niehues, 82, of Kelly, KS, died Sunday evening, February 18, 2007 at Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka, due to complications after heart surgery. In the days before her death, she felt blessed to be surrounded by her endeared sibling, nieces, and nephews reminiscing about “old times” and praying for her recovery.
      She was born on August 12, 1924 on a farm southeast of Kelly, the daughter of Frank and Elizabeth Steinlage Niehues. She grew up there, and attended St. Bede's School at Kelly. She lived with her brother and sister on the family farm for all of her life, taking care of the home and helping on the farm. She selflessly took care of her invalid mother and her father until their deaths. She was a superior baker who made lovely angel food cakes from scratch, countless loaves of bread, and delicious cookies. Her cream pies were requested at all family and church functions. Bernadine loved to garden and had a large plot each year. She was a gifted seamstress, who quilted and did embroidery and fancy handwork. She was simply a devoted and tireless homemaker.
      Bernadine was very civic minded and liked to do for others; she contributed significantly to the lives of all she knew. She was a member of St. Bede's Church, taught and coordinated CCD classes at St. Bede’s, and was a member of St. Ann's Altar Society at the church in Kelly. She served on the Nemaha-Marshall Regional Council and St. Isador’s Celebration Committee. She helped teach the mentally handicapped at Sts. Peter & Paul’s Day Care Center. Bernadine also worked on the Annual Blood Drives and United Charity Drives.
      Survivors are her brother Ferdinand of Goff; and four sisters, Rita Niehues of Goff, Norbertine Miller and Frances Rottinghaus of Seneca, and Florence Hermesch of Rogersville, MO.
      She was preceded in death by her brother Herbert on June 26, 2000 and a two-year-old sister, Anita, on August 27, 1934.
     The Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 A.M. Friday at St. Bede's Church at Kelly. The burial will be in the church cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca on Thursday at 2 P.M. and at 7 P.M.
     Memorial beneficiaries will be designated later; memorials may be sent in care of the family.