‘Sweethearts forever’

What does Valentine’s Day mean to Paul and Bernice Stender, longtime residents of Blooming Prairie?

They both quickly point to L-O-V-E. They are sweethearts forever, both confess.

Paul says he periodically will send flowers or a card to Bernice on Valentine’s Day. He also admits that some years, he forgets.

Bernice unabashedly says she has seven or eight Valentine’s cards that she has sent to Paul and saved to use again. She then picks out a different card from that inventory and sends to her sweetheart.

Growing up in Wykoff

The Stenders grew up in the Wykoff area, 53 miles southeast of Blooming Prairie. They met one another in elementary school at Wykoff. First date was when Bernice asked Paul to Junior/Senior Prom.

Their love affair blossomed when Bernice moved to Blooming Prairie, home of the Blossoms, in 1953. Paul followed in 1955. They have resided in Blooming Prairie since 1955.

Paul is the elder of the couple, turning 90 on his last birthday. Bernice can’t wait for her 90th birthday. It comes on the Fourth of July. With a twinkle in his eye, Paul says, “We’re going to send off lots of fireworks on that day.”

Youngsters at heart

Both Paul and Bernice betray their ages by looking much younger. Living in a very comfortable home, the Stenders enjoy being an active part of the Blooming Prairie community.

The Stenders love to re-track their long lists of memories. Those early memories are rekindled when Bernice brings out an old Wykoff Schools yearbook and points out herself and Paul on the same picture, one of second graders and third graders.

“We were only one row apart on that photo. I guess you could say we were childhood sweethearts,” Bernice says, blushing. “We rode the same school bus and associated with the same friends. We lived only a mile apart in Wykoff.”

Bernice disappeared for a moment during the interview and returned with some cookies.

“I love to bake and cook,” she said. Paul agrees wholeheartedly with that statement.

Paul remembers that first date: “We went to the Prom dance in my dad’s 1949 Plymouth. There was no way I would drive my vehicle to prom.”

He had an “old junker”, he recalls.

“I got her home on time,” Paul says with a smile.

Bernice has two brothers and two sisters, one sister living. Paul has two sisters and one brother; all have passed.

Paul is a 1950 graduate of Wykoff High School and Bernice followed in 1951.

Married 67 years ago

Paul and Bernice married on Dec. 26, 1955, in the Emanuel Lutheran Church at Wykoff.

“I was baptized and confirmed in that church (ELCA),” Bernice says.

Paul attended St. John’s Lutheran Church, a Missouri Synod branch.

The Stenders’ love is further illustrated in their family of 3 children: Jim, Karen, and Bob. The Stenders also have four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren–most recently welcoming Emma Jo, three weeks old.

Chatting further about their life together, Paul said he and Bernice don’t argue.

“We may have some disagreements but that’s it,” Paul admits.

Paul said his wife’s cooking is at the top of the list for likes.

Stenders sing praises

“We love doing things together and that involves the whole family,” Bernice says. “Church has never been an issue for us; it was a given.”

Church is a time to sing praises and to give thanks for all of the good things we have been given, she says, and “it makes following weekends much better.”

Leadership was not foreign to Bernice. She became the first female president of the First Lutheran Church congregation of Blooming Prairie.

Work has also been important to Paul and Bernice. Paul is a carpenter by trade. He worked 41 years in that field. He worked six years for Carlson Construction of Blooming Prairie and 37 years for Lysne Construction.

For Carlson, Stender built houses. For Lysne, he worked at building schools, health care centers, and water treatment plants. For the next 20 years spent in retirement, Stender did odd jobs for friends.

Bernice logged 37 years in education. She taught elementary school from 1953 to 1990 in BP.

The Stenders love the major holidays, Christmas, Easter, 4th of July, and Thanksgiving, and often get together with immediate families. Bernice bakes and cooks for Thanksgiving.

Love for cooking

Rolling his eyes, Paul says his favorite dishes put together by Bernice include: stir fry, hot dishes, roast beef dinners, rutabagas, and goulash.

“I love to cook because Paul will eat anything,” says Bernice. “We eat three meals a day.”

Interests of Paul and Bernice are similar. They love to play cards: cribbage, rummy, bridge, 500, and pinnacle.

Bernice loves to read historical novels. Paul said he started to read more during the time of COVID. He chooses fiction. He also loves sports, college basketball preferred. Bernice watches University of Minnesota basketball with Paul.

Bernice and Paul are proud to be Awesome Blossoms. For years, they sold tickets to Blooming Prairie High School sporting events.

Bernice enjoys playing the piano. She also enjoys going through travel brochures. They traveled often with their children and grandchildren.

“We love to travel in the spring, to somewhere with grass; then in the spring, we come home to grass,” Paul chuckles.

The Stenders traveled to Israel in 1993. Such a trip “makes the Bible stories come to life,” Bernice says. They also traveled regularly with family to Gull Lake and to Timber Trails, near Remer, and often meet up with people they know.

“You can always make a connection, Paul says.

Fisher-people

Both like to fish. Paul said Bernice’s way of fishing is to have someone put on the bait, take off the fish, and have someone else fix it.

Paul and Bernice are still active volunteers. They serve Meals on Wheels. Paul does odd jobs and is a member of Lions, VFW and American Legion. He also loves to golf. Bernice is a hospice volunteer, is active in church and was in a since-disbanded organization called the Prairie Chicks.

What are the Stenders doing this Valentine’s Day?

“I thought maybe I would buy a steak,” says Bernice, eliciting a wide smile from husband Paul.