Bernice Strohschein

Bernice
Strohschein was the 8th of 10 children born to Emil and Olga Stober.
She was born November 23rd, 1928, in Winnipeg Manitoba just days
after the family had arrived in Canada, having barely escaped the tragic conditions
in Ukraine brought on by the Bolshevik revolution.
Bernice's family settled on a farm
near Overstone, Manitoba. They experienced community with other German speaking
believers at the Baptist church in Overstone. At age 10, through the ministry
of the Overstone church, Bernice accepted Jesus as her Savior, a commitment
that shaped the rest of her life. Soon after, she was baptized in a river.
Bernice took seriously her older
sister role to Albert and Margaret. Combined with her love for learning this
helped make her well-suited for the teaching profession. In 1945, a teacher
shortage in Manitoba enabled Bernice to become the teacher of a one-roomed
rural school at the age of 16. At least one of her students was close to her
age and taller than she was. Later she took a job teaching a combined first and
second grade class near Winnipeg.
Having prayed for God's direction,
Bernice sensed God answering when she heard an appeal for a teacher on an
Indian reservation in Alberta. She applied for the job and soon found herself
in a one-roomed school facing 25 children, ranging in age from age 6-16, who
spoke only Cree, and had never been in a classroom before. Bernice had many
opportunities to share the love of Jesus and looked back fondly on these years.
While teaching in Alberta, Bernice met
Allan Strohschein, who had grown up on a farm not far from the reservation.
Many invitations and dates followed, and Bernice and Allan married in 1954.
Feeling God's call on his life, Allan left his parents' farming operation.
Bernice and Allan moved to Edmonton where Bernice taught school, while Allan
attended University and began Seminary.
Their daughter Sandra was born in
1957. At this point Bernice and Allan moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where
Allan completed seminary. After graduating, Allan and Bernice began serving a
church in New Leipzig, North Dakota. Their son Don was born in 1961.
Subsequently they served churches in Bismarck, North Dakota; Minneapolis,
Minnesota; Renton, Washington; Beaverton, Oregon; and Colfax, Washington.
They truly were partners in ministry.
Not surprisingly, Bernice had a passion for sharing the gospel with children.
She was an engaging teacher and brought a huge amount of enthusiasm to all that
she undertook.
Summer vacations usually consisted of
long road trips to Alberta and British Columbia for happy reunions with
extended family. Two trips to the Holy Lands were also major highlights for
Bernice and Allan.
Retirement years brought more
opportunities for ministry. Bernice and Allan served churches in Washington,
British Columbia, and North Dakota on an interim basis. Favorite activities for
Bernice included gardening and spending time with grandchildren. The yearly
trips to the Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center sponsored by Bernice and
Allan are part of her legacy treasured by all in the family. Best of all, she
was a faithful prayer warrior. Along with Allan, she prayed for children,
grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family members.
Bernice left this earth for her
heavenly home on November 16, 2022. She was preceded in death by her parents,
brothers Paul and Albert, and sisters Gertrude, Frieda, Ella, and Mary. She is
survived by Allan, her husband of 68 years, her sisters Elsie, Violet, and Margaret,
her daughter Sandra (Will) Newcomb, her son Don (Julie) Strohschein,
grandchildren Bethany (Joe) Goetz, Kaitlin Groves, Nathan (Megan) Strohschein,
David (Kaitie) Newcomb, Paul (Debra) Newcomb, and Amy (Micah) Armbrust, and
great-grandchildren Marielle, Robin, Joel, Audrey, Addison, Ian, Claire, and
Wesley.
In her own words
The
most exciting aspect of our lives is when we look back and can see the hand of
God in our lives. At times His leading is so gentle it is hard to discern
whether it is His leading or our dreams that we are following. But I believe if
we earnestly seek direction from Him, our dreams will be fulfilled and we can
know "abundant life."
"I
am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly." John 10:10