of Little Flock, AR

October 3, 1930 - March 29, 2025

Anna "Bernice" Renner, a woman who clearly didn't have time for a dull moment, entered this world on a farm in Boone County, Nebraska. Growing up with siblings, Ruth, Margaret, Dan and Sharon, Sunday mornings weren't for sleeping in, they were for church! The whole crew piled in and apparently, Jesus made a good impression because they all signed up to be on His team.

Bernice, bless her heart, was a walking, talking question mark. She peppered the world with inquiries. Legend has it her mom enrolled her in school at the tender age of four, not for educational enlightenment, but to give the teacher a fighting chance at answering her relentless curiosity. Free from household drudgery, young Bernice bonded with her Dad over early morning cow-milking. It was during these quiet moments that she possibly hatched her master plan: conquering the educational world. By 16, she was wrangling unruly students in a one-room schoolhouse. Talk about a prodigy with a pointer! She ended up at the Northwestern Theological Seminary and Bible School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She always remembered when Billy Graham, the president of her school, did the commencement speech at her graduation. Then she continued her education to get her Nursing degree. She briefly ran her own hospital. It couldn't have been easy!

Enter our grandfather, a man with a keen eye for matchmaking, especially when it came to his son, Gerald. Gerald was off serving in the Air Force, probably wishing for a home-cooked meal and someone to share it with. Grandpa, in his infinite wisdom, decided Bernice was just the ticket. After a single meeting (one meeting!), Bernice and Gerald embarked on a year-long pen-pal courtship. Gerald sealed the deal with a marriage proposal so clever and beautiful that Bernice, naturally, had to hop on a plane to California and see him in person before making a final decision. (You know, just to make sure the handwriting matched the personality.) Good thing it did, because the answer was YES! The wedding in Minnesota was bumped up because the Air Force said so, proving that even love bows to military scheduling.

And so began a whirlwind of adventure as they hopped around the USA. Nine months after the wedding, Cathy arrived, followed by Carol in Oklahoma. Bernice barely had time to unpack before Gerald was transferred to Florida where their son, Michael, popped into the world. A year in Hawaii followed, a definite highlight! Then, because life is just plain funny sometimes, they ended up in Little Rock, Arkansas opening the very first IHOP in the state of Arkansas. Yes, you read that right. Bernice and Gerald, purveyors of pancakes and omelets for over 30 years. During that time, she also worked at the Baptist Hospital. Oh, and somewhere in between all of that, they became world travelers on a cruise ship. I guess they earned some time away from the griddle!

**The Legacy:**

- Children: Cathy (Terry), Carol (Cliff), Michael (Ellen).
- Grandchildren: Mandy (Mike), Clayton, Deborah (Aeryn), Jenifer (Tommy).
- Great-Grandchildren: Katelyn, Nicholas, Amelia.

Bernice, the question-asking, cow-milking, IHOP-owning, cruise loving, nursing marvel, finally traded earthly adventures for eternal ones on March 29, 2025 at the ripe old age of 94. Her deep love for God wasn't just a Sunday thing; it was a guiding force that she shared generously with everyone she met. And I bet you anything, when she got to heaven, she had a LOT of questions for God.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Mom did not want anyone to wear black to her service.

Sign Guestbook

3 Condolence(s)