Bernadette "Bernie" M. Weidner

Bernadette “Bernie” M. Weidner, age 80, of Kewanee, IL, passed away at Liberty Village in Princeton, IL, on Friday, February 23, 2024.  A memorial mass will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. Rev. S. Stephen Engelbrecht will celebrate. Per Bernie’s wishes no visitation will be held, and cremation rites will be accorded. Burial of her cremated remains will take place after the mass, at St. Anthony Cemetery, Atkinson, Illinois.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

Bernie was born on October 27, 1943, the daughter of Arthur H. and Eugenia (Marchand) VanDeVoorde in Geneseo, Illinois.  On February 1, 1964, in a ceremony St. Malachy Catholic Church in Geneseo, Bernie married the love of her life Ronald “Harv” Weidner, he preceded her in death on March 22, 2014. She graduated from Riverdale High School with the Class of 1962. Bernie worked on the family farm in rural Kewanee and could be found doing everything on the farm. She was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and was very active there. She enjoyed keeping the farm looking good and spending time with her children and grandchildren and attending various activities with them all.

Those left to cherish her memory are her son, David Weidner of Buda, IL; daughters, Cheryl Cardenas of Richmond, CA, Linda Brier of Williamsport, IN, and Diane Weidner of Yates City, IL; nine grandchildren, Michael, Adam Marisella, Daniel, Adriana, Matthew, Elizabeth, Regan and Haley; two great grandchildren; sisters, Marilyn Cronkleton, Annette (Larry) Tillberg, Jane (Steve) Kincaid and Joy VanDeVoorde; brothers, John (Cheryl) VanDeVoorde and Joe VanDeVoorde; daughter-in-law, Lynette Weidner; and sister-in-law, Cheryl VanDeVoorde.

Bernie was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Eugenia; her husband,  Ronald “Harv” Weidner; son, Bruce Weidner; brother, Jim VanDeVoorde; and granddaughter, Alisia Marie Weidner.