Bernadine Ann (Kopischke) Vermeersch

Bernadine Ann (Kopischke) Vermeersch, age 89, died Saturday, December 5, 2020 at Pathstone Living.

Bernadine (Bernie) was born in 1931 in Mankato to William F. and Anna L. “Nora” (Bresnan) Kopischke. She was the fourth in a family of six children. She attended Mankato Catholic Schools, graduating in 1948 from Loyola High School. She attended and graduated from Mankato Commercial College. She worked for Gamble Robinson Food Distributors in Mankato as Office Manager for many years. She later worked for The Salvation Army as a bookkeeper until she retired.

On January 3, 1997 she married Louis Vermeersch, a former classmate, at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. It was Louis’s second marriage after the passing of his first wife, and Bernie became stepmother to Louis’s eight adult children, grandmother to Louis’s fourteen grandchildren, and great-grandmother to Louis’s six great-grandchildren. She will be missed by all of them.

Initially, Bernie and Lou enjoyed their time together at their retirement home on Kid Lake in northern Minnesota. As life’s challenges mounted, they moved back to Mankato and eventually became residents at Pathstone Independent Living Facility in Mankato.

Bernie was a sweet, intelligent woman with a wonderful dry wit and a great sense of humor. She loved cats, dogs, reading, crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, painting, crafts and spending time with family.

She is survived by Louis’s extended family; her sisters, Caroline McCargar Jones and Rosalie (Donald) Adams; and many nieces and nephews.

Bernadine was preceded in death by her parents; brother, William J. (Guida) Kopischke; sisters, Alice (DeWayne) Simmonds and Arlene Kopischke; her husband, Louis; nephews, Patrick Simmonds and Andrew John McCargar; and brother-in-law, John Hayden Jones.

Private family graveside service will be held at Calvary Cemetery in Mankato. Please share a memory of Bernadine with her family and view her recorded service (available by Saturday, December 12) online at www.mankatomortuary.com.

Memorials may be directed to The Salvation Army, The American Cancer Association, or to a charity or organization of the donor’s choice.