Alice Berens

Alice Elizabeth (Smith) Berens was born January 13, 1941 the fifth and last child of Alzeo “Mike” and Clara Louise (Jessup) Smith near Sunfield, Michigan.

Alice attended Haliday Country School in Sunfield through middle school before graduating from Grand Ledge High School in Grand Ledge, Michigan in 1959.

Also in 1959, Alice married Marlin Berens, of Gregory, South Dakota, at Grand Ledge, Michigan. Two children were born to this union, Louann Marie and Julie Elizabeth.

Alice and Marlin both worked in a car factory for the next four years. In 1963, they returned to Gregory to begin farming. They spent the next 26 years farming together. The couple rented farm ground for the first ten years, and in 1973 they bought their first farm south of Colome, South Dakota.

In 1989, Marlin and Alice divorced. Alice moved to Winner, South Dakota and worked at various jobs for the next thirteen years. For health reasons she retired early and relocated to Maywood, Nebraska.

Alice dearly loved her house cats, enjoyed her flowers and sewing quilts.

Alice was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Charles Smith; sister, Margaret Troyer; two grandchildren, Brent Ekroth and Crystal Ekroth; a sister in law; and two brother in laws.

Alice leaves behind one brother, Richard Ben Smith of Lansing, Michigan; sister, Mary Kleinfelt of Grand Ledge, Michigan; her two daughters, Louann (Tim) Wicker of Douglas, Wyoming and Julie Berens of Wellfleet, Nebraska; grandson, Grant Berens of Colome, South Dakota; and great grandson, Landon Martin of Wagner, South Dakota.