Bernice L. Brue, 94, of Ottawa, passed peacefully on Saturday evening, January 25, at LaSalle County Nursing Home surrounded by the love of her family.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 1, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa, with Rev. Ray Mitchell, Pastor of Praise Center Assembly of God Church, officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, at the funeral home.
Bernice was born on August 27, 1925 in Prairie Center, Illinois to Ole and Rose (Thorson) Nelson. She married Reuben A. Brue in January of 1943. Bernice was one of the last Radium Dial Girls. She later drove a grain truck to help her husband, Reuben, when he was starting his business. She was a member of the Praise Center Assembly of God, the Women of the Moose, and Volunteered at the Sheridan Prison. She served on the Board of the Salvation Army, and was a volunteer at Re-runs.
She is survived by 2 daughters, Sharon (Wayne) McGuire, of Naperville, Debbie (Scott) Robinson, of Naperville, 2 sons, David “Reuben” (Barb) Brue, of Ottawa, and Chuck (Trudy) Brue, of Ottawa; 12 grandchildren: Kim Miller, Cindy Hayes, Paige Kmetz, Kevin Raber, Jeff Brue, Luke Brue, Doug Brue, Taylor Robinson, David Kerwell, Jacob Kerwell, Lisa Brennan, and Molly Dickman, and 9 great-grandchildren: Justin, Harris, Pearson, Madison, Ella, Ayden, Presleigh, Olivia, Chloe, and one great-great grandson, Logan, and many others who lovingly called her Grandma Brue.
She was preceded in death by her husband on Nov. 21, 2007, and 2 brothers, Reuben and Herman “Melvin” Nelson.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons and Ryan Hayes and Matt Kmetz.
She was laid to rest in the Garden of the Last Supper.