 Berneice grew up on a farm with many chores and responsibilities.
All the children helped out. Berneice did work inside, helping her
mother and sisters cook and clean, but every chance she got, she ran
to help her brothers with the outside work. She milked the cows;
fed, saddled and bridled the horses; and fed chickens and pigs and
goats.The Birkys were a close-knit family, and Berneice has many
happy childhood memories. She said the family always went to
church. They traveled each Sunday to the Hopedale Mennonite
Church. The children attended Keefer Country School, about a mile
from the farm. Berneice said they cut across the fields when they
walked, but sometimes she rode a horse. Berneice learned many crafts
from her mother, including embroidery, sewing, quilting, crocheting
and knitting.
Berneice was a senior in high school when she caught the
attention of Chuck Naffziger. Chuck was on leave from the U.S.
Navy and both were attending a basketball game. They were neighbors,
and as a favor to her brothers, Chuck gave Berneice a ride home. As
she got into the car he said, "Boy, you've grown up while I was
gone." They saw each other every day until he had to go back to his
cruiser, the USS Cleveland.
Unbeknownst to Berniece, Chuck even left a Christmas present for
her to open after he was gone. They corresponded for about a year
until Chuck came home after the war.
Berneice graduated from high school in 1945 and worked at State
Farm Insurance for a year.
Chuck and Berneice were married on April 18, 1946, and their
daughter, Dianne, was born in 1947.
They farmed about five miles from Berneice's family for about a
year before moving to Michigan until 1950. Then they farmed a year
at Emden before moving to Armington, where the Naffzigers were
baptized into the Armington Christian Church. In 1955, they moved to
a farm near Atlanta, where they settled and lived for the next 50
years.
They joined Eminence Church and were lifelong members. They both
were very active in the church. Chuck was an elder for 35 years.
Berneice was a member of the Ladies Aid Society and remembers
serving lunch to the Rotary Club twice a year as a way of making
money for the church. She also was a Sunday school teacher for over
30 years.
As a Girl Scout leader and a 4-H leader, Berneice taught many
crafts, including sewing, knitting and cooking. Berneice's daughter
remembers going camping, and the troop set up camp right in the
middle of the pasture on their farm.
Dianne was married in 1966, and her aunt, her
mom and her grandmother made a quilt for her wedding. She
still has it today.
Berneice and Chuck were the proud grandparents of two
grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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Berneice taught her granddaughter how to wheat weave through 4-H,
and wheat weaving was a big part of Chuck and Berneice's lives
through the '70s, '80s and '90s.
Berneice started weaving in the mid-'70s. A sister gave her a
book of the subject, but after reading it, Berneice gave it back and
said she didn't think she was interested. Her sister said she didn't
want it, so Berniece gave it another look. She had the book and a
whole field of wheat, so she started trying to weave.
Berneice and Chuck went to several different craft shows around
central Illinois and picked up a few pointers. She also found book
on wheat weaving by Adelia Stucky and ordered it. Over the years
Adelia and Berneice became very good friends.
Berneice started demonstrating at the Labor Day festival at
Argyle State Park, near Macomb. While there, Marie Olinger came to
her booth and they became friends. They found other weavers and
organized the Illinois Association of Wheat Weavers. Berneice is
also a charter member of the National Association Wheat Weavers. She
has many friends in several states and worldwide through the
organization.
Berneice was the resident wheat weaver at Rockome Gardens, near
Arcola, for many years.
Chuck really enjoyed finding different types of wheat to plant
for Berneice. They would travel to Missouri and Nebraska gathering
seeds. The whole family would get involved when it came time to
harvest the wheat. Her daughter and family would go over and spend
the day cutting and hanging the wheat.
During the summers of 1993 and 1995, Berneice, Chuck, daughter
Dianne and other members of Illinois Association of Wheat Weavers
traveled to England and studied wheat art at Missenden Abbey. This
was one of the highlights of her wheat experiences.
Berneice and Chuck were married for 59 years. After a fall at
home, several hospital stays and almost a year at The Christian
Village, Chuck died on Feb. 20, 2006. Berneice spent every day, all
day at his side. Later on that year, Berneice came to stay at The
Christian Village.
She enjoys music, crocheting, knitting, Bible study and going out
with her daughter. She also helps stack bingo chips three times a
week. She likes to read and visit with her friends.
I'm very thankful to her and her daughter for sharing their
fascinating past.
A personal note: "Berneice, you should be very proud of all your
accomplishments. God has blessed you with many talents and you have
touched many lives."
[By REBECCA JOHNSON,
Christian Village activity director] |
