Bernice Alderson

Bernice Alderson Lois Bernice (Ellis) Alderson, age 95, passed away peacefully at 4000 Valley Square Wheatland Terrace in Grand Forks on Tuesday, July 3, 2012. She was born on August 26th, 1916 to Earl and Lucile Ellis of Starkweather, North Dakota. Bernice attended school in Starkweather and graduated from high school when she was sixteen years of age. Following graduation she began working in the Ramsey County Agent's office in Devils Lake, ND. She attended the University of North Dakota for a period before resuming her work with Ramsey County. In 1938 while visiting a classmate in Lakota, ND she met her future husband, Dr. Thomas F. Alderson and they were married the following year. They moved to Grand Forks in 1945 and have resided here ever since. They raised four children, Thomas Earl, who died in Vietnam in 1968, Nancy, Robert, and Janie. Bernice was an active member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church for many years. In addition to her church activities, she served as a Pink Lady for the Deaconess Hospital Auxiliary and belonged to Entre Nous, PEO Chapter D, Eastern Star, and the ND Dental Association Women's Auxiliary. During the winters the Aldersons would spend a brief period of time in Texas or in Florida but were never away from Sioux sports for any great period of time. She was preceded in death by her husband Tom , who passed away in 2000, in addition to her son, Thomas Earl, a brother, Dr. Gordon Ellis, and sisters, Dorothy Phillips and Lorraine Larance. She is survived by her children, Nancy Hoppel (Joe), St. Louis, MO, Robert Alderson (Peggy), Grand Forks, and Janie Alderson, Hopkins, MN; a brother, Dr. Robert Ellis, Ft. Collins, CO; grandchildren, Heather Chan (Keen), James Gambucci, Anthony Gambucci, Tom Alderson (Rachel), and Jennifer Geiszler (Grant); great-grandchildren, Morgan Geiszler, Kate Geiszler, Tommy Alderson, Caleb Alderson, Luke Alderson, Selah Alderson, Mya Chan and Noah Chan. Funeral Services: 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 9, 2012 in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 319 S. 5th St., Grand Forks. Visitation: will be for one hour prior to the service in the church. Interment: Memorial Park North Cemetery, Grand Forks.