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Bernette A Wikelius, age 90, of Chisago City, died peacefully on February 7, 2016. Preceded in death by husband Irvin, daughter Kathleen and sister Gertrude Lindo. Survived by brother Ellis Johnson, sister Harriet Ryberg, sons Charles (Ann Bellows), Norman (Raj) and Larry (Sandy) Wikelius, daughter Karen (Steve) Graves, ten grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Born to Harry and Myrtle Johnson on June 4, 1925, on a farm near North Branch, Bernette was baptized and confirmed at Chisago Lake Lutheran Church in Center City. She graduated from North Branch high school and continued her education at Swedish Hospital School of Nursing in Minneapolis, where she received her RN in 1947. On March 19, 1948 she married Irvin Wikelius of Almelund, MN. Together they raised their five children and built a prize-winning dairy herd.

In 1968 she resumed her nursing career at Parmly Nursing Home, where she worked as a charge nurse until retirement in 1986. With retirement came the opportunity to travel throughout the U.S. and to Sweden, but her family and volunteer service were her main focus. She provided countless hours of her time to individuals and organizations throughout the area, especially to her church, as a hospice respite care giver and board member, and as a Parmly volunteer, where she was presented with the Isabelle M. Lindgren Distinguished Service Award in 1999 and, jointly with her sisters Gertrude and Harriet, the Phyllis Lindquist Volunteer of the Year Award in 2006.

Funeral Service 2:00 p.m. Friday, February 12, 2016 at Chisago Lake Lutheran Church in Center City.  Visitation one hour prior to service at church.  Interment at Hillside Cemetery in Center City.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Chisago Lake Lutheran Church, 1 Summit Ave., Center City, MN 55012 or Minnesota Network of Hospice & Palliative Care, 2365 McKnight Rd N # 2, St Paul, MN 55109.  Arrangements by the Grandstrand Funeral Home in Lindstrom.  Condolences may be expressed online at www.grandstrandfh.com

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