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Obituary: Betty Mae (Thorp) Bernik Overbeck

October 27, 1925 ~ April 9, 2023

Betty Mae (Thorp) Bernik Overbeck was born in Ephraim, WI, in the Thorp family Homestead at Eagle Inn to Glen Eugene Thorp and Marion Agnes (Boyd) Thorp on October 27, 1925. She was baptized and confirmed in the Ephraim Moravian Church and served as the church pianist during her high school years. A 1943 graduate from Gibraltar High School, Betty went on to receive her RN degree in Nursing from Evangelical Deaconess Hospital in Milwaukee, WI, in 1947. On September 14, 1946, she married William “Bill” Edward Bernik in Chicago, IL, and together, they had one son, Glenn “Pudge” Bernik. After their marriage, they continued to live and work in Milwaukee before moving back to Ephraim where Betty became part-owner and co-manager of Eagle Inn Hotel (built in 1908 by her grandparents, Eugenia and BD Thorp) with her sister-in-law, Gloria, and brother, Bert Thorp (who was the Ephraim Postmaster). During the winter months, she touched the lives of many of Wisconsin’s residents serving as an RN in Sturgeon Bay, Green Bay, Milwaukee, and other areas. On November 2, 1968, Betty married Henry William Overbeck in Lakeland, FL. Together, they lived in Sturgeon Bay, WI, until he passed away in 1990.

Betty remained in Sturgeon Bay, assisting with the Overbeck Real Estate Office. She volunteered with Feed My People Clothe My People, assisted with A.G. Edwards Financial Services, volunteered at a local podiatry clinic, and served as an RN at Bay Shipbuilding. Betty liked visiting her many friends, tending to her flower garden, and enjoying Sturgeon Bay’s local restaurants: Glidden Lodge for special occasions (or prime rib night), Nightingale Supper Club for lobster tails on Monday’s, or Culver’s for a fast burger! Most of all, she enjoyed her son’s cooking and baking the best. Betty was particularly an admirer of sweets, such as cherry turnovers and chocolates.

She died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 97 on April 9, 2023, at the Good Samaritan Society-Scandia Village in Sister Bay, WI.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, William Bernik, then Henry Overbeck; former daughter-in-law, Carolyn “Kim” Nguyen; stepchildren, Philip Overbeck, Michael Overbeck, Charles Overbeck, and Jennifer Baudhuin; step-children-in-law, Debbie  Overbeck and June Overbeck, and Leo Zipperer; former step-son-in-law, Dave Stafford; grandson, James Bernik; step-grandson, Danny Ellington; brother, Bert (Gloria) Thorp; nephews and nieces; Philip Roberts, William Yersin, Robert Bernik, Betty (Louis) Rebernisek, and Mary (Kenneth) Wendt.

She will be missed by her son, Glenn (Cynthia) Bernik of Sturgeon Bay, WI, stepchildren, William “Bill” Overbeck of Sturgeon Bay, WI, Margi Zipperer of Sturgeon Bay, WI, Elizabeth “Little Bit” LeClair of Jacksonport, WI; step-children-in-law, Karin Overbeck of Sturgeon Bay, WI, Kathy Overbeck of Gladewater, TX, Steve Baudhuin of Luxemburg, WI; grandchildren, Richard (Carly) Bernik of Rochester, MN and Angelique Bernik of Saint Paul, MN, step-grandsons, Merlin “BJ” (Wilna) Nguyen of Rocklin, CA, Elijah “EJ” Booth of Farmington, MN, Josiah (Tiffany) Booth of Poplar, WI, Jeremiah Booth of Lakeville, MN, Travis (Mindie) Overbeck of Brussels, WI, Guy (Jennifer) Overbeck of  Sturgeon Bay, WI, Casey Overbeck of Gladewater, TX, J-Charles (Kat) Overbeck of Honey Grove, TX, Shannon (Yuzhen) Stafford of Indianola, IA, Gregory Zipperer of Sister Bay, WI, Dustin (Janeth) Overbeck of  Sturgeon Bay, WI, Aaron (Tara) LeClair of Jacksonport, WI, Nathan (Ellen) LeClair of Jacksonport, WI, and Philip Baudhuin of Green Bay, WI, and step-granddaughters, Anna Nguyen of Oakland, CA, Loan (Philip) Vo of Boynton Beach, FL, Meagan “Lan” (Steve) Nguyen Ma of San Ramon, CA, Tabitha Sam of Farmington, MN, Katina Booth of Mankato, MN, Linda (Jeff) Roop of Appleton, WI, Cody (Jason) Browning of Flint, TX, Brooke Long of Gladewater, TX, Steffi (Chris) Stafford of Sturgeon Bay, WI, Kathy (Steve) Ruegsegger of De Forest, WI, Courtney (Mike) Ripp of Poynette, WI, Samantha (Justin) Boncher of  Green Bay, WI; many step-great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchildren; three step-great-great-grandchildren; nephews, Burt “BD” (Mary) Thorp of Ephraim, WI, Edward Bernik of Aurora, MN, Edward Krasovech (Marie) of Naperville, IL, and nieces, Gloria Stepek of Elk Grove Village, IL, Joanne (Steve) Jasperson of Aurora, MN, and Suzanne Churchill of Green Bay, WI.

A Celebration of Betty’s Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 19, 2023 at the Ephraim Moravian Church, 9970 Moravia Street, Ephraim, WI 54211. She will be laid to rest beside her husband, Henry, in Bayside Cemetery in the Town of Sevastopol.

In lieu of flowers, donations or contributions may be made in Betty’s name to the charity of your choice or to Door County Medical Center (c/o Door County Medical Center Foundation, P.O. Box 230, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235; www.dcmedical.org).

Our family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff of Scandia Village in Sister Bay, WI for the wonderful and compassionate care given to Betty these past two years.”

Casperson Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Sister Bay, WI is assisting the family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Betty may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.caspersonfuneralhome.com.