Leo Bernhardt

A Funeral Mass for Leo Bernhardt, 101, of Dickinson will be 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 10, 2012 at Queen of Peace Catholic Church with Father Shannon Lucht celebrating. Burial will follow in St. Wenceslaus Cemetery.


Visitation for Leo will be 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Monday, July 9, 2012 at Stevenson Funeral Home in Dickinson with a Rosary & Vigil service being held at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue Tuesday, July 10th from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. before the funeral Mass at Queen of Peace Catholic Church.


Leo passed away Wednesday, July 4, 2012 at St. Benedict’s Health Center, Dickinson.


Leo Bernhardt was born March 22, 1911, in Katharinental, Russia, the son of Joseph and Margareta (Kuhn) Bernhardt. He came to the United States with his parents as an infant, settling in Taylor, ND, where they made their home. Leo attended country school northwest of Taylor through the eighth grade. As a young man, he began working on his parents’ farm. He moved to the West Coast, where he worked for several years before returning to the Taylor family farm. On May 17, 1943, Leo married Ann Erdle at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richardton. To this union, Jeanne, Terry and Peggy were born. In 1949, they moved into Dickinson where they have lived ever since, while continuing to farm at Taylor. Leo’s passion was farming and he enjoyed working on the farm well into his 90’s. He slowed down, but never retired. He was very proud to be able to farm with his grandsons. Leo’s greatest loves were traveling and visiting with his grandchildren in Colorado and North Dakota. In his later years, Leo enjoyed woodworking and many of his friends and family were able to receive pieces of his handywork. Leo was a member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church. He was a lifetime member of the Elks and the Knights of Columbus, as well as many other service clubs in Dickinson.


Leo is survived by his daughters, Jeanne Phillips of Tyler, TX and Peggy (Jon) Vonburg of Denver, CO; son, Terry (MaDonna) Bernhardt of Taylor; sister-in-law, Arlene Bernhardt of Taylor; 13 grandchildren and (12) great grandchildren.


He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ann; two sons-in-law, Ron Schiff and Bill Phillips; one grandson, Cort Vonburg; three infant siblings; three brothers, John, Sebestian, William Bernhardt; five sisters, Rosa Dauenhauer, Anna Kolling, Beatrice Berger, Eleanore Reichert and Margaret Hill.


Click to View Program (PDF)


Burial Date: July 10, 2012
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Funeral Mass: Tuesday: Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Dickinson, ND