GARNAVILLO, Iowa — Phyllis Ann (Junk) Berns, 94, longtime resident of Garnavillo, passed away peacefully surrounded by family, Saturday, November 2, 2024, at the Guttenberg Care Center in Guttenberg, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 4 — 7 pm on Friday, November 8, 2024, at Morris Funeral Home in Garnavillo. Visitation will continue from 9 — 10 am on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at St.
Joseph Catholic Church, Garnavillo. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Garnavillo, with burial in the church cemetery.
Born on February 16, 1930, to Gregor and Marie (Fassbinder) Junk in Guttenberg, Iowa, Phyllis was the 4th of 6 children. After graduating from St. Mary’s High School, Guttenberg, Phyllis went to work as a stenographer at a Guttenberg farm implement company, where she met her sweetheart, Leon Berns.
They married September 15, 1949, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Guttenberg. Phyllis was the mother of nine children, a role she cherished above all else.
She found fulfillment in the quiet, everyday tasks of life, whether it was stitching a quilt, preserving food from her garden, or sharing her talent for music through her clear, soprano voice. Phyllis was a wonderful seamstress, quilter and homemaker who took joy in caring for her family and welcoming others into her home. Phyllis lived a life grounded in faith, family and simple joys.
Her home was always open to family and friends, offering war.