Bernice Ann Fincutter, 96, of Elkhorn, died peacefully on Feb. 7, 2024, at Golden Years in Lake Geneva.
Bernice was born on Nov. 22, 1927, in Gurnee, Illinois, daughter of the late Anton and Margaret (See) Merkel. Bernice grew up in that area, then later on uniting in marriage to Raymond H. Fincutter on May 7, 1955, in Grayslake, Illinois.
Together they ran a dairy farm and began raising a family together, later on moving to a farm in Spring Prairie just outside of Elkhorn. This farm became home to their family, and is still operated as a dairy farm to this day by their son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, Tony, Diane and Steven.
Bernice was always involved with events, or volunteer work at St. Patrick’s Parish; she spent many years working in the Religious Education Program as an instructor, and as a committee member of the Parish Counsel.
Bernice served many years on the Farm Bureau in various committees within that organization. At home, Bernice loved tending to her garden. She grew a large assortment of vegetables that helped feed her family through the year. She and Raymond built their life together, and watched their family grow together until the time of his passing on Dec. 17, 2008.
Bernice remained social through card clubs, traveling to different friends’ homes to play card games; she didn’t discriminate, any game was a game she enjoyed. Later on, she moved from the farm to Ridgestone Terrace in Elkhorn, where she continued playing cards with some of the residents that lived there.
Above all, Bernice had a great amount of love for each one of her family members. She loved watching her grandchildren grow up.
Bernice is survived by her 10 children, George (Ann) Fincutter, Raymond (MaryEllen) Fincutter, Mary (Timothy) Lockwood, Thomas (Sherri) Fincutter, Tony (Diane) Fincutter, Margaret (Robert) Hoekstra, Bunny Fincutter, Ann Fincutter, Mike (Margaret) Fincutter, Rosemary Fincutter; siblings, Joan Williams, Mary Callanan, Tom Merkel, Peggy Finley, Lois Pflieger, Carol Haskell; sister-in-law, Verna Merkel; 20 grandchildren; four step grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; four step great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Bernice is preceded in death by her parents, Anton and Margaret; her husband, Raymond; brothers, James Merkel, Vincent Merkel, Jerome Merkel; and a number of brothers and sisters in law.
Visitation for Bernice was Wednesday, Feb. 14, at Haase-Lockwood and Associates Funeral Home and Crematory, 730 N. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn from 4 to 8 p.m. Then again on Thursday, Feb. 15 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Funeral Home. A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish, 107 W. Walworth St., Elkhorn, on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m. Bernice will be laid to rest next to her husband Raymond at Hickory Grove Cemetery following the mass.
Memorials in her name may be made to St. Patrick’s Building Fund 107 W. Walworth St., Elkhorn, WI, 53121, or to New Day Women’s Clinic, 824 Geneva St., Delavan, WI 53115. An online guestbook can be found at www.haaselockwoodfhs.com. Funeral arrangements for Bernice are under the direction of Haase-Lockwood and Associates Funeral Home and Crematory of Elkhorn.
