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TOBIN, BERNITA ANN (NEE FINNEGAN) of Janesville, WI
BORN IN SHEBOYGAN FALLS, WISCONSIN ON JULY 29TH, 1918 TO EDWARD J. AND ELLA (SIMON) FINNEGAN AND CALLED TO ETERNAL LIFE ON JULY 8TH, 2015, JUST 21 DAYS SHORT OF HER 97TH BIRTHDAY. WHEN JUST AN INFANT BERNITA CONTRACTED A CONTAGIOUS EYE DISEASE, TRACHOMA, AND AS A RESULT COULD NOT ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SHE WAS HOME SCHOOLED BY HER PARENTS UNTIL THE DISEASE WAS ARRESTED AT THE AGE OF 18. SHE WAS THEN ENROLLED AT THE WISCONSIN SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND (NOW THE WISCONSIN SCHOOL FOR THE VISUALLY HANDICAPPED) WHERE SHE MET HER FUTURE HUSBAND, CLAYTON . THEY MARRIED ON DECEMBER 3RD, 1942 AND TRAVELED LIFE TOGETHER UNTIL HIS PASSING IN 2005. IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THEIR MARRIAGE THEY OWNED AND OPERATED A SMALL BROOM FACTORY IN JANESVILLE AND LATER BOUGHT A SMALL DAIRY FARM IN WEYAUWEGA, WISCONSIN. EVENTUALLY THEY RETURNED TO JANESVILLE AND WORK AT THEIR ALMA MATER. AFTER 31 YEARS BERNITA RETIRED AS ADMINISTRATOR OF HOUSEKEEPING AND FOOD SERVICE. SHE WAS A VIBRANT, INTELLIGENT WOMAN WHO WAS A ROLE MODEL AND MENTOR TO MANY WOMEN THROUGHOUT HER LIFE. SHE AND CLAYTON BECAME INTERESTED IN AND VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT ANTIQUES AND ENJOYED COLLECTING BEAUTIFUL PIECES. BERNITA WAS A MEMBER OF THE MONTEREY QUESTERS,AARP, JANESVILLE RETIREED TEACHERS, UNIVERSITY EXTENSION HOMEMAKERS, AND PAST RESIDENT OF THE ALTRUSA CLUB. SHE WAS ALSO AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF CARGILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND THE CEDAR CREST AUXILIARY. SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER PARENTS AND THREE BROTHERS, DENNIS, JAMES AND PATRICK AND IS SURVIVED AND WILL BE LOVINGLY REMEMBERED BY HER SISTER NANCY (PETER) D’AMATO , NIECES, NEPHEWS, AND COUSINS. THE FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY EXTEND THEIR GRATITUDE AND THANKS TO BERNITAS WONDERFUL FRIENDS….FIRST TO JERRY AND MARILYNN JENSEN AND THE ENTIRE JENSEN FAMILY FOR THEIR YEARS OF LOVE AND CARING AND WHO BERNITA CONSIDERED HER OWN FAMILY. JERRY SHOWED THE TRUE MEANING OF THE WORD FRIEND DURING BERNITAS LAST YEAR AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HIM FOR THAT. MANY THANKS ALSO TO KATHY AND DAVID DURANT WHO MADE HER A PART OF THEIR FAMILY. BERNITA ENJOYED THE TIMES KATHY WOULD VISIT AND READ TO HER, AND TO JIM AND MARLENE STEINBERG AND THE STEINBERG FAMILY WHO WERE NEIGHBORS FROM THEIR DAYS ON THE FARM. ALSO THANKS TO ALTA VORDERMANN WHOSE FRIENDSHIP BERNITA VALUED. WE ARE ALL BETTER PEOPLE TO HAVE HAD BERNITA IN OUR LIVES. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, 2015 at Cedar Crest Chapel, Janesville with Rev. Susan Lockman officiating Visitation will be at Cedar Crest Chapel from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Wednesday. Private entombment will be in Milton Lawns Mausoleum. Henke-Clarson Funeral Home (608-741-1713) is assisting the family.

TOBIN, BERNITA ANN (NEE FINNEGAN) of Janesville, WI
BORN IN SHEBOYGAN FALLS, WISCONSIN ON JULY 29TH, 1918 TO EDWARD J. AND ELLA (SIMON) FINNEGAN AND CALLED TO ETERNAL LIFE ON JULY 8TH, 2015, JUST 21 DAYS SHORT OF HER 97TH BIRTHDAY. WHEN JUST AN INFANT BERNITA CONTRACTED A CONTAGIOUS EYE DISEASE, TRACHOMA, AND AS A RESULT COULD NOT ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SHE WAS HOME SCHOOLED BY HER PARENTS UNTIL THE DISEASE WAS ARRESTED AT THE AGE OF 18. SHE WAS THEN ENROLLED AT THE WISCONSIN SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND (NOW THE WISCONSIN SCHOOL FOR THE VISUALLY HANDICAPPED) WHERE SHE MET HER FUTURE HUSBAND, CLAYTON . THEY MARRIED ON DECEMBER 3RD, 1942 AND TRAVELED LIFE TOGETHER UNTIL HIS PASSING IN 2005. IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THEIR MARRIAGE THEY OWNED AND OPERATED A SMALL BROOM FACTORY IN JANESVILLE AND LATER BOUGHT A SMALL DAIRY FARM IN WEYAUWEGA, WISCONSIN. EVENTUALLY THEY RETURNED TO JANESVILLE AND WORK AT THEIR ALMA MATER. AFTER 31 YEARS BERNITA RETIRED AS ADMINISTRATOR OF HOUSEKEEPING AND FOOD SERVICE. SHE WAS A VIBRANT, INTELLIGENT WOMAN WHO WAS A ROLE MODEL AND MENTOR TO MANY WOMEN THROUGHOUT HER LIFE. SHE AND CLAYTON BECAME INTERESTED IN AND VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT ANTIQUES AND ENJOYED COLLECTING BEAUTIFUL PIECES. BERNITA WAS A MEMBER OF THE MONTEREY QUESTERS,AARP, JANESVILLE RETIREED TEACHERS, UNIVERSITY EXTENSION HOMEMAKERS, AND PAST RESIDENT OF THE ALTRUSA CLUB. SHE WAS ALSO AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF CARGILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND THE CEDAR CREST AUXILIARY. SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER PARENTS AND THREE BROTHERS, DENNIS, JAMES AND PATRICK AND IS SURVIVED AND WILL BE LOVINGLY REMEMBERED BY HER SISTER NANCY (PETER) D’AMATO , NIECES, NEPHEWS, AND COUSINS. THE FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY EXTEND THEIR GRATITUDE AND THANKS TO BERNITAS WONDERFUL FRIENDS….FIRST TO JERRY AND MARILYNN JENSEN AND THE ENTIRE JENSEN FAMILY FOR THEIR YEARS OF LOVE AND CARING AND WHO BERNITA CONSIDERED HER OWN FAMILY. JERRY SHOWED THE TRUE MEANING OF THE WORD FRIEND DURING BERNITAS LAST YEAR AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HIM FOR THAT. MANY THANKS ALSO TO KATHY AND DAVID DURANT WHO MADE HER A PART OF THEIR FAMILY. BERNITA ENJOYED THE TIMES KATHY WOULD VISIT AND READ TO HER, AND TO JIM AND MARLENE STEINBERG AND THE STEINBERG FAMILY WHO WERE NEIGHBORS FROM THEIR DAYS ON THE FARM. ALSO THANKS TO ALTA VORDERMANN WHOSE FRIENDSHIP BERNITA VALUED. WE ARE ALL BETTER PEOPLE TO HAVE HAD BERNITA IN OUR LIVES. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, 2015 at Cedar Crest Chapel, Janesville with Rev. Susan Lockman officiating Visitation will be at Cedar Crest Chapel from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Wednesday. Private entombment will be in Milton Lawns Mausoleum. Henke-Clarson Funeral Home (608-741-1713) is assisting the family.