Some of you may remember Uppie Berning, retired Postmaster of Maria Stein.  He was very active in this area throughout his life.  He received the Ohio NAPUS Lifetime Achievement Award several years ago also.  He passed away Saturday.  May he rest in peace. ​

    Urban “Uppie” Berning, age 95, of Maria Stein, Ohio, passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at Joint Township Hospital in St. Marys. He was born on September 25, 1927 in St. Patrick, Ohio, to the late Joeseph & Rose (Knob) Berning. He married Lucille “Lucy” (Borger) Berning on June 21, 1952, and she preceded him in 2019. 

    Uppie is survived by children: Lori Barton of Kayenta, AZ,  David & Mona Berning, Chris & Cindy Berning, and John & Juli Berning, all of Maria Stein. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Abbie Waggamon, Josh & Kelley Berning, Molly Berning, Rose Berning, Dawn Berning, Chelsey & Chad Schlarman, Austin & Jillian Berning, Ashlynn Berning, Rachel & Dustin Ruhe, Luke Berning & Allie Prueter, and Matt Berning, 8 great grandchildren, Xavier, Ella, and Jordan Waggamon, and Weston, Bryar and Mack Schlarman, James Berning, and Amiah Robertson.  In-laws, John Gardner of Dayton, Jack Birkmeyer of Celina, Helen Bergman of Celina, Mildred & Louis Homan of Dayton, and Louis & Beatrice Borger of St. Marys.

    Uppie is preceded in death by siblings and in-laws, Joseph & Ann Berning, Robert & Dorothy Berning, Cletus & Mildred Berning, Andrew &Velma Hemmelgarn, Gene & June Werling, Irene Gardner, John & Teresa Baltes, Victor Bergman, Roselyn Birkmeyer, Gerald & Elizabeth Borger, Alfred & Dorothy Borger, and Elmer Borger.  

    Uppie was a member of St. John Catholic Church, where he served two terms as parish council president, was an usher, commentator, religion class teacher at Marion Local High School and was a life member of the Knights of St. John. He was a veteran of WWII, stationed in the Aleutian Islands as a weatherman/radar operator for the 11th Army Air Force. He was later granted an Honor Flight trip to Washington D.C. to visit the WWII Memorial in appreciation of his service. Uppie was past commander and lifetime member of the Maria Stein American Legion and spent 70 years serving on the Honor Guard.

    Uppie served the Maria Stein community and Marion Local High School in many ways during his life. During that time, he spent: 50 years as the public address announcer for Marion Local football, basketball and track events, 30 years officiating basketball and umpiring baseball, 21 years as the Marion Local band contest announcer, and 10 years owning a retail house-to-house milk delivery service. He was former president of the Marion Local Athletic Boosters, authored the 75 years of Marion Local History book, one of the founders of the Maria Stein Country Fest, former board president of the Cheryl Ann Program, charter member of the board of tourism & travel for Auglaize and Mercer Counties, charter member of the Mercer County Hospital Foundation, and a charter member of the Mercer County Elks where he spent 2 terms as trustee and was a lifetime member and past exulted ruler. He spent 30 years working for the postal service, 25 years as Postmaster registered trainer and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Postmasters of the United States.

    During his life, Uppie was a Dale Carnegie graduate, adopted 3 children, donated 18.5 gallons of blood, and played fast pitch softball for the Celina Suns for 30 years.

    Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Maria Stein.  Burial with military honors will follow in St. John Cemetery.  Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14 and from 9-10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 15, at the Hogenkamp Funeral Home in St. Henry.  Memorial contributions may be made to Grand Lake Hospice or the Marion Local High School Athletic Boosters.  Condolences may be left at hogenkampfh.com.

To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Urban "Uppie" Berning, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.  hogenkampfh.com

                                                                                                                3/6/2023

Our dear friend, Lou Stuckey, Retired Ohio Postmaster and current President of the Ohio Chapter Retired,  lost her sister yesterday March 5, 2023. She also lost her cousin last Sunday, and her brother in January. Let's show some love and support during these difficult times.

Send cards and letters to :

Lou Stuckey

117 Lakeside Drive

Quincy MI 49082