Lucille Prinsen, 90, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, died peacefully Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 while in hospice care.
Lucille Joan Berning Prinsen was born Feb. 24, 1933 to Eugene and Leona (Nagel) Berning near Cherry Grove, Minnesota. Lucille lived in Wykoff with Will and Minnie Brusse Berning (paternal grandparents) after the death of her mother in 1941. She attended Cherry Grove, Wykoff and Forestville Center grade schools, graduating from Wykoff High School in 1951. She attended Sunday schools in the Wykoff Methodist and Cherry Grove Evangelical churches becoming a member when confirmed at Cherry Grove.
She moved to Rochester after graduation to begin work at Union National Bank where she was employed the next six years. She married Floyd Prinsen at the Cherry Grove Evangelical Church on Feb. 21, 1953 after he returned from serving in the Korean War. They had two children, Bradley and Steven. They lived in Rochester before moving to Windom in 1958, and in 1960 they moved to Mankato where Floyd was employed in the welding supply industry. They loved to travel and enjoyed camping on some of their trips. Lucille and Floyd spent two summer seasons employed at Grand Canyon National Park, they traveled by ship the Great Lakes from Port Arthur, Canada to Montreal, and had the opportunity to go to Korea in 1988. Floyd died on Dec. 29, 1990 from cancer.
In 1994 Lucille returned to family and friends, moving to Rochester and Stewartville until 2013. For a couple years during this time she lived out of a camper in the summers and volunteered in the South in the winters. She moved to downtown St. Paul and continued to make friends wherever she went. She moved to Apple Valley Villa in November of 2018 where she enjoyed the staff and the residents. Despite declining health, she was very independent until recently.
She worked various part-time jobs over many years, including as a bank teller and at ManPower in various capacities. Community involvement included Mankato State University’s International Student Program, Big Brother-Big Sister organizations; Salvation Army board member, Boy Scout den mother; Bend of the River Celebration, all while in Mankato. She worked in the sales department at Larson Siding and Windows, Rochester, for 18 years when she returned to Rochester to live. She retired in 2015 from working at Emma Norton Services, St. Paul, after 12 years of employment, primarily as the volunteer coordinator.
Her passion for missions continued after Floyd’s death, and she became an United Methodist volunteer in Alaska, Red Bird Missionary Conference, Kentucky; McCurdy School, New Mexico; Conference Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Church Center for the United Nations, New York City; the Holy Land; and Rust College, Holly Springs, Mississippi. She was active at the United Methodist Church in Rochester Homestead, Hilltop UMC, Mankato, United Methodist Women on the local, district and Minnesota Conference level for 50 years. She was a past president of Minnesota Church Women United. In Mankato, she was a finalist in the Bend of the River Celebration, a volunteer woman of the year type honor. She was a lay speaker and gave many talks and presentations. Lucille was also active in civil rights issues and women’s rights issues.
She was happiest when her family could be together. She loved “company.” She and Floyd often entertained international students and their families from around the world. They hosted many church and neighborhood gatherings in their 37 years of marriage. She helped where needed. She traveled to all 50 states. She was a devout Christian who enjoyed doing things for others. She loved conversations and celebrations. She recognized that she was fortunate to come from small beginnings and succeed despite hardships early in her life. As the oldest child, she was comfortable taking charge of more or less everything. She was a saver of both historical and trivial artifacts, treasuring her memories. She had an attitude of gratitude and was continually looking for the positive.
Lucille is survived by her sons Bradley and daughter-in-law Kimberly; and Steven and daughter-in-law Sharon Schumacher; grandchildren Paul and Lori Rogers; Trevor and Katie Prinsen; Alexander and Jessica Prinsen; Stephanie Prinsen and finance Aaron Trundt; great grandchildren, Charles, Julia and Katherine Rogers, and Grant Prinsen; siblings Janice Berning Tabor and half sister Ellen Jean Berning Hoffner; along with many cousins, nieces, nephews and family.
She was preceded in death by her husband Floyd, parents Eugene and Leona Nagel Berning; brothers William (Bill) Berning and Lindee Berning; half sister Arlys Berning Wilbur; step-mothers Marilyn Case Berning and Evelyn McCraney Berning and step-sister Judith McCraney Thomas.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23, at Apple Valley Villa, Apple Valley.
Memorials can be sent to the charity of your choice or to the family at PO Box 714, Annandale, MN 55302.