Bernice Yunker of Elba passed away peacefully at home with family at her side on January 15, 2024 after a long illness. Married to her late husband, Carl Yunker of CY Farms, for 74 years. Born July 26, 1925 in Mineral City, Ohio as Bernice Beisheim, daughter of Ruth Boedeker Beisheim and Arthur Beisheim, a United Church of Christ minister. Bernice’s family moved from Ohio to WNY during WWII where her father pastored a church in Buffalo, NY. Eventually, Bernice studied art at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, and then at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She worked part-time at the DuPont Plant in Rochester as director of graphics to help the war efforts on the home front. Something of a tomboy, during a college summer break, she, her sister, and two girlfriends bicycled from Buffalo around Conesus Lake and back, demonstrating her adventurous spirit!. The following summer, Bernice went home to live with her folks in Bennington, New York, where her father had recently been selected to pastor a small rural church. It is there she met Carl Yunker, a local farmer and member of the church. He was on the selection committee and also involved in their youth ministry. After a 9 month courtship, she and Carl were married at St. John's Evangelical Church, in Dutch Hollow near Attica, on December 7, 1947.
After some exposure to life as a farm wife, Bernice moved with Carl and their two oldest children to Elba, and established a home on the ‘Merriman’ farm on Transit Road and then raised and nurtured their family of seven there. Bernice was the best of moms and also cared for others in the community. She used her creative gift as a visual artist to serve others and honor God. During her 74 years in Elba, Bernice supported Carl, her family and the community with kindness, energy and frankly, a lot of art and art lessons! She often told her children, “Music and art are the frosting on the cake of life!” Bernice was happiest when creating in her ‘Farmer’s Wife Studio’ built by Carl as a true act of his love for her.
Bernice loved life and met her days with energy and determination. Bernice enjoyed countless friendships and always found ways to serve others. Bernice was a faithful member of the Elba Presbyterian Church, the first woman on the Elba Central School Board, an artist of the Genesee Art Council and Batavia Society of Artists, a valuable volunteer for many years at The Arc of Genesee and the Genesee County Nursing Home teaching art lessons, and also volunteered at Hospice of Genesee. She also enjoyed giving private art lessons well into her 80’s.
Bernice Yunker (98 in July) is survived by her children Gail (Bruce) Bartlett of Arizona, Craig (Kimberly) Yunker of Elba, Chris (Annette) Yunker of Virginia, Joy (Mark) Mistur of Ohio, and Heidi (Anthony) O’Hara of Elba and her grandchildren: Josiah, Sarah, Rebecca, Cyrus, Christian, Katherine, Caroline, Constance, Otto, Elliot, Evan, Elisabeth, Jacob and Hannah. Bernice is also survived by her great grandchildren: Elsie, Annie, Connor, Jack, Charlotte, Dash, Fields, Keats, Craft, Riley, Maisie, Delia, Tristan, Linnea, Cairo, Alora, Bryant, Clyde, Eve, and Mila. Also survived by many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
She is predeceased by her husband, Carl Yunker; sister, Aurelia Brombacher; brother, Calvin Beisheim.
A memorial service for Bernice Yunker will be held on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 3:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Elba, NY. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Elba Presbyterian Church, 24 North Main Street, Elba, New York 14058, HomeCare & Hospice of WNY, 29 Liberty Street, Suite #6, Batavia, New York 14020 or to Arc GLOW, 64 Walnut Street, Batavia, New York 14020. To leave a condolence, share a story or light a candle in her memory, please visit www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, 403 East Main Street, Batavia.
