Bernice Claassen

  Verna Bernice Lennart Claassen was born at home on March 31, 1923 in Everson to Ernest Werner Lennart (Bergqvist) and Edith Burman Lennart. On Feb. 13, 2018 she returned to her Heavenly home.
  From being raised on a farm in the Great Depression, she understood the value of a dollar and of hard work. She was very close to her father, who was from Sweden, had founded an agricultural business and was a 29-year elected official in the state’s Legislature. She worked alongside him in the barn and assisted him with meetings or political events. One meeting took her to the National Republican Convention in Chicago. Another was a ladies’ tea hosted in the White House by Mamie Eisenhower.
  Bernice graduated from Mount Baker High School. She attended the University of Washington, but completed her degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in California in her late 30s. During her earlier working years she worked for governmental offices in Olympia and for several airlines at their Seattle offices. While with Pan American Airlines, she traveled by herself around the world.
  In later years her love of travel continued, including seeing her son Eric at different bases while he was in the U.S. Navy, or with her daughter Elisa to see her stepsons or her sister in the wine country of California.
  When Bernice married Ed Claassen, she became a stepmother to three sons: Richard, David and Roy. Within the first few years of marriage, she became a birth mother to Elisa and Eric. Later, Uwe Wahser came from Germany for high school and lived with them. Friends remember coming to their home for Sunday School Easter egg hunts, youth group, Everson Grade School picnics, and too many other things. Both Ed and Bernice were incredibly social, and much talk and laughter were heard on Stickney Island Road.
  Once a mom, Bernice wrote for Christian magazines, became a distributor with Successful Living books, sold World Book encyclopedias, worked at Western, and would do food demos at stores into her 80s. Bernice loved to work and even with dementia dreamt of returning to work in her 90s.
  Bernice was widowed at age 67. Within two years she decided it was time to sell the family home and relocate to Nooksack near close friends. Four years ago, Elisa had to make a decision to move her to the Christian Health Care Center in Lynden. It wasn’t easy, but Bernice blossomed as she loved the center’s activities and the many friends she could visit. Her nurses and caregivers were incredibly kind to her.
  Bernice loved to hear and study God’s Word. For years she taught many area children Sunday School. She loved making new friends and especially wanted to look out for the underdog. God was kind and made sure Bernice was ready when she went home. When she was nearing the end, friends of all ages came to sit nearby, hold her hand, tell her they loved her and cheer her on to the finish line of life’s end. The next day, her brother-in-law Chuck Fitch joined her in Heaven from Santa Rosa, California.
  Bernice is survived by daughter Elisa Claassen in Nooksack; son Eric (Rosella) Claassen in Orting; her sister Lucille Lundstrom in Issaquah; her sister Marilyn Fitch in Santa Rosa, California; her sister Carol Reed in Puyallup; stepson Richard Claassen (Maureen) in Los Osos, California; stepson David Claassen (Louise) of Paso Robles, California; stepson Roy Claassen (Jean); grandchildren Debbie Stadig, Annette Claassen, Susan Borene, Jeff Claassen, Brian Claassen, Scott Claassen and EJ Eric Claassen; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Yes, many friends also including Shannon Parten, who regularly visited her.
  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Ed, brother Ernest Wayne Lennart, and other loved ones.
  Her favorite verses included Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
  Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, in Grace Baptist Fellowship of Lynden. All are welcome to attend and to celebrate Bernice’s life. This will be a joyful event.
  For more information, arrangements are through Gillies Funeral Home of Lynden. Memorials may be made to CHCC in Bernice’s name, Grace Baptist Fellowship, North County Christ the King, or the Lighthouse Mission.