- Date Of Birth: May 28, 1931
- Date Of Death: November 17, 2020
- State: Iowa
William L Bernhard, age 89 of Bancroft, passed away peacefully Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Society in Algona. William Leo Bernhard, the son of Maurice and Ella (Elsbecker) Bernhard, was born on May 28, 1931 in Rural Bancroft, Iowa. Growing up with a love for baseball, he orchestrated the building of a baseball field at the home farm and would host games with friends and fellow baseball lovers in the Bancroft area. He graduated from St. John’s High School in 1949. When William was a senior in High School, he was scouted at the State Baseball Tournament and was invited to try out for the Chicago Cubs. After graduation, William enlisted in the United States Army and served during the Korean War from 1952-1954. He loved to dance at the Plantation in Whittemore. The Plantation is where he met Marilyn Kliegl. On February 11, 1961, William and Marilyn were united in marriage at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Whittemore. William farmed all his life. He loved to raise cattle, hogs and sheep. In 1985 he obtained his security license to sell mutual funds and life insurance for Primerica Insurance. William served as a loving husband to Marilyn for 59 ½ yrs. They enjoyed dancing, dining out, visiting their children and grandchildren. He regularly attended weekday and Sunday Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, helped to initiate the celebration of yearly Divine Mercy Sunday. He and Marilyn loved to travel together to multiple Catholic shrines including Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, WI, and made regular visits to the Sisters of St. Francis in Dubuque where he maintained life long friendships with some of his earlier teachers at St. John school. One of his favorite retreats was Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, MN. They also enjoyed traveling each summer to Park Rapids, MN and several bus tour trips throughout the United States. William was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and the American Legion. He loved dancing, sports, fishing, pheasant hunting and watching his son Michael play golf. William enjoyed visiting apple orchards and traveling with his sons to show their livestock at 4H & FFA livestock shows and attend the Cattleman’s Beef Expo and dinner in Des Moines. Left to cherish William’s memory are his wife, Marilyn of Bancroft; his children, William P Bernhard of Algona, Nick Bernhard of Lawler, Dr. Theresa (Leo) Hamilton of Algona, Charles (Adriana) Bernhard of Ames, Dr. Maria (Dr. Tim) Krahn of Memphis, TN, Nancy (Jeremy) Renger of West Des Moines and Michael Bernhard of Tempe, AZ; seventeen grandchildren, Nicholas Bernhard; Amanda, Rachel (Austin) Witham, Leah, Matthew, Andrew, and David Hamilton; Gregorius and Katrina Bernhard; Alexis Kollasch, Catherine, and Christopher Krahn; Bailey, Hannah, and Jonathan Renger; brother, Dave (Darlene) Bernhard of Algona, and a sister, Mary (William) Goche of Fairmont, MN. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Greg Bernhard, Michael and Gabriel Bernhard (unborn) and brothers, Paul, Phil and Mark Bernhard.
