Bernadine Louise “Berny” Behr, 95, of Wessington Springs, died Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at Weskota Manor. 

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, May 15, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Wessington Springs. Burial followed at Prospect Hill Cemetery. Visitation was one hour prior to services at the church.

Bernadine Louise Mitchell was born May 2, 1929, in Murry County Limelake Township, Avoca, Minn., to Earl and Edna (Schellenberg) Mitchell. She was baptized June 8, 1929, and confirmed June 14, 1942. Berny was a lifetime member of the Lutheran faith. She was the oldest of her family. She attended country school and graduated from Fulda High School in 1947. 

On Sept. 10, 1949, she married Harold Behr of Fulda, Minn. They lived at Alexandria until 1956 and moved back to Worthington, Minn., where she worked at Campbell’s Soup Company. They returned to Alexandria, in 1968, where they farmed. Berny had various jobs as a cook at Banty Bar in Spencer, and at Loretta’s Truck Haven and at West 40, both in Mitchell.

After the death of Harold in 1997, she moved to Wessington Springs.

Berny had a wonderful sense of humor. One of her passions was genealogy. She made many family books.

Berny is survived by her children, Debbra (Glenn) Smith of Aberdeen, Randy (Nancy) Behr of Hermosa, and Kathy (David) Jensen of Wessington Springs; six grandchildren, including Mark (Shana) Jensen of Letcher; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Berny was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Edna Mitchell; husband, Harold Behr; an infant son; one grandson, Tracy Behr; one granddaughter, Stephanie Jensen; sisters, JoAnn Harner, Earleen Horkey, Karen Bovee; brother, Leon Mitchell and brother-in-law, David Baack.