A Celebration of Life Service to honor the life and legacy of Berniece Kolander, age 98, of Lakefield, MN, will be held Friday, September 20th at 11:00 a.m. with a time of visitation and gathering from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lakefield, with Pastor John Schuetz officiating. Burial will be at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Lakefield, MN.

The Celebration of Life Service will be livestreamed on the Immanuel Lutheran Church Facebook page.

Berniece was born in Alta, Iowa, to Henry and Agnes Hage. She grew up in Lakefield, Minnesota, and worked at Red and White Grocery before graduating high school with the class of 1944. She went on to Communications School in Minneapolis. She moved to Medford, Oregon and began working for United Airlines in October of 1944. She was very proud of her career there and recalled meeting several famous people during her time there. Then she returned to Lakefield to help her dad run Bowler's Inn/Hage Oil Station.

Berniece married Ahrles Kolander on August 29, 1948. They raised four boys on a farm outside of Lakefield: James (1949-2020), Alan (1951), Kevin (1959), and Bruce (1964). In 1981 they retired from farming and moved into Lakefield.

Berniece was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church for most of her life. She was honored this past summer as the oldest living graduate to have attended Immanuel Lutheran School when they celebrated their 125th anniversary. She served as a Sunday school teacher, and Ladies' Aid president and treasurer. She was a quilter at church and a volunteer at Colonial Manor in Lakefield. She enjoyed bible classes, bowling, golfing, playing cards, and baking. She was an excellent baker – well-known for "Grandma Kolander's chocolate chip cookies," and her homemade buns and caramel rolls. She provided thousands of chocolate chip cookies for weddings, graduations, and other special events. In the most recent years, Berniece resided at Valley View in Lakefield and Lakeview in Heron Lake.

Berniece Kolander passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 14th at Lakeview Assisted Living in Heron Lake.

Berniece was preceded in death by her parents Henry and Agnes; her husband Ahrles; son James; brother Darrel and sister-in-law Adele Hage; sister Bonnie and brother-in-law Kenny Bisping; and sister Mary Lou Rossow; brother- and sister-in-law Willard and Doris Kolander; and brother- and sister-in-law Kermit and Jean Kolander.

Berniece is survived by two sisters, Beverly Hall and Diane (Jim) Laursen; sons Alan (Gloria), Kevin (Terry), and Bruce (Dawn). Grandchildren Chad (Natalie), Michelle (Brian), Catie (Taylor), Andrew (Kelly), Jared (Bre), Bryce (Kelli), Justin (Hannah), Travis (Claudia), and Chelsey (Jake); Great-grandchildren Simone (JP), Austin, Drew, Payton, Owen, Ashley, Lilla, Griffin, Lennon, Carter, Aubree, Emery, Larkyn, Londyn, Arwen, Evrhett, and Harrison; Great-Great-grandchildren Stella and Summer; and many other nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Immanuel Lutheran Church.