Berniece E. Engebretson

SPEARFISH- Berniece Engebretson, 85, Spearfish, died, Wednesday, February, 11, 2008, at David M. Dorsett Regional Senior Care.    Berniece Eileen "Bing" Engebretson was born Sept. 3, 1923 on the homestead of her parents, Alfred E. and Mary (Hennessey) Ballou near Faith, SD. Of her arrival into the world she later wrote that her two youngest brothers "ran away because they were not going to have a little sister." It was as a toddler she acquired her lifelong nickname "Bing" because she was always falling down - going "bing."   Berniece attended the Moreau River School, riding the 3 1/2 miles by horseback, having to swim her horse across the Moreau River in the spring;  the Bockman School and the Faith Public School, from which she graduated the 8th grade in 1936.   After Alfred abandoned the family, Mary and children moved to Spearfish in the fall of 1936 where Berniece attended high school until 1938 when the family moved to the Alzada, MT vicinity.   On June 14, 1941 she and Otto Engebretson were united in marriage at the Norwegian Lutheran Church, Miles City, MT in a double wedding with her brother, Francis Ballou, and Barbara Nickelson.    Otto and Berniece leased the Jim Richardson place for two years in the '40s, and worked for Jim an additional two years. In 1942 Berniece enrolled in a correspondence school, the American School of Chicago and finished her remaining two years of high school. She then attended the University of Wyoming's summer school sessions two years at Sundance, WY after which she taught at the Colony School, the Courtney School, Wolf Creek School and the Five Mile School.   In November, 1947 they built the Alzada Grocery, which Berniece ran while Otto continued to work out. In March, 1953 she became a Notary Public, a commission she held until 1977. Berniece was also a Montana Fish and Game license agent from April 1954 until 1976. Because Alzada was the first stop for the many out-of-state hunters, Berniece was the top selling agent in Montana for out-of-state hunting permits in 1955.   After Otto retired they continued to operate the Alzada Grocery for another nine years, selling it in 1977 when they moved to Spearfish. Berniece worked as a bookkeeper for Wells Plumbing and Farm Supplies from 1978 to 1991. At age 74 Berniece took an adult education class in QuickBooks and a Turbo Tax course on-line then worked briefly as a contract bookkeeper for Dan McMichael at the Spearfish Computing Center, and later as part-time bookkeeper for the Salvation Army in Spearfish.   Berniece and Otto would play two games of rummy each night before going to bed. Their favorite pastime, however, was dancing. From 1977 until 1995, when Otto had to "slow down" due to congestive heart failure, they attended up to four dances a week.    Survivors include two sons, Doug (Pat) Engebretson, Belle Fourche, SD and Calvin (Lety) Engebretson, Mesa, AZ; special niece Ardith Johnson-Richards, Spearfish, SD; grandchildren Candy Seieroe, Rapid City; Valarie and Michael Engebretson, Mesa, AZ and Steve (Cindy) Collins, Redwood Falls, MN;  six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.   Berniece was preceded in death by Otto, her husband of fifty-four years in 1996; her parents; sister Nina Nygaard; brothers Wallace (in infancy), Kenneth, Quintin and Francis; and a grandson, Otto T. Engebretson.   Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills, Belle Fourche, and one hour prior to services.   Services will be 1 p.m. Monday, the 16th of February at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills, Belle Fourche, SD, with Pastor Paul Howard officiating. Burial will be at Rosehill Cemetery, Spearfish.