Bernice Seitz, 86, of Artesian, passed away on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the Good Samaritan Society, in Howard. 

Visitation for family, friends, and community will be 4-6 p.m., Friday, July 7, at the Willoughby Funeral Home in Howard. Private family services will be Saturday, July 8, at the Willoughby Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Artesian.

Bernice was born at home in Volga, on April 23, 1937, to Bill and Marie (Ringham) Burdick. She attended kindergarten through fourth grade in Volga and then moved to Arlington, where she graduated in 1955. She attended one year of college at General Beadle in Madison. Bernice met the love of her life, Keith Seitz in Madison, and was married on April 13, 1958, at the Lutheran Church in Arlington. They made their home on a farm north of Fedora. Bernice and Keith left the farm and moved to Artesian in 1979. Keith passed away on Feb. 4, 1981.  Bernice worked at Raven in Howard and then at the Artesian School District from 1980-1994 as a janitor and cook.

She was the news reporter for Artesian for many years for the Sanborn Weekly  Journal newspaper. She belonged to the O.D.O Club for over 50 years, the Roadrunner Club, the Artesian American Legion Auxiliary, along with the Senior Citizens. Once the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s took over, Bernice moved to the Good Samaritan Society, in Howard, in October 2019.

Bernice could always be found visiting on the phone with close friends and participating in church activities, and she loved being involved with Senior Citizens activities. Her favorite past time of all was shopping. She loved holidays and always decorated her home and enjoyed entertaining. Christmas was her favorite holiday. She loved taking care of her family, especially her granddaughters. She cherished any time she was able to travel and visit with family.  

Bernice is survived by her son, Mark (Angela) of Artesian; two granddaughters; her sisters, Katherine “Kitty” Johnson of Highmore and Carol Kessel of Spearfish; brother, Billie Burdick of Winner; sister-in-law, Pearl Burdick of Rapid City; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Keith Seitz; son, Jeff Seitz; parents, Bill and Marie Burdick; brothers, Duane “Red” Burdick, Gerald “Bruno” Burdick, and Don Burdick; brothers-in-law, Duane Johnson and Lloyd Kessel; nephews, Mike Burdick and Adam Burdick, Jim and Gloria McCain, Stan and Joann Hansen; and her faithful dog, Baxter.