Bernadine "Bernie" Secrest

Bernadine “Bernie” Secrest, beloved mother, wife, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother died on September 10, 2026 in Farmington, Missouri. She was 92 years old. Bernie was born June 27, 1934 in Loveland, Colorado, the oldest daughter of Walter and Emma (nee Mahr) Heywood.

On March 2, 1952 Bernadine wed Lester Secrest Sr. in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Bernadine and Lester were blessed with four children during their marriage, all of whom were born on or near an Air Force base. Their first daughter Linda was born in 1954 in Japan, son Lester, Jr. was born in 1956 in Tampa, Florida, son Thomas in 1959 in Dallas, Texas, and lastly daughter Pauline in 1962 in Everett, Washington.

In 1962 Bernadine and her family moved to Fairbanks, Alaska when her husband Lester was assigned to an air defense radar site. They decided to make Fairbanks their home after Lester left the Air Force. After her husband’s unexpected death in 1988, Bernie remained in Alaska until 2011 when she moved to Roswell, New Mexico with daughter Pauline and Charlie and spent the next six next years in the desert before moving to Caledonia, Missouri in 2017 along with Pauline and Charlie where she lived until her passing.

Bernadine owned and operated daycare centers in Fairbanks and North Pole, Alaska. She took care of numerous children over many years. Children were her passion. Bernadine also collected silver spoons from all over the country and the world. She collected clown figurines, enjoyed country and western music, word search puzzles along with reading. She especially enjoyed watching birds at the feeder in her window and calves playing in the field at the farm.

Bernadine is survived by her brother Leonard Heywood (Jan) of Cheyenne, Wyoming; son Lester Secrest, Jr. (Ann) of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; daughter Pauline Newhouse (Charlie) of Caledonia, Missouri; grandchildren Terry Cotton and Yvonne Boyer of Anchorage, Alaska; Chris Secrest (Crystal) and Emily Secrest (Nick Gilbreath) of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Raymond Secrest (Brenda) of Ketchikan, Alaska; Boyd Runnion (Sarah) of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii; Cody Newhouse (Jaq) of Fairbanks, Alaska; great-grandson Skyler Cotton of Anchorage, Alaska whom Bernie helped raise; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Bernadine is preceded in death by her parents Walter and Emma Heywood, husband Lester Secrest Sr., brother Edward Heywood, sister Eloise “Lois” Coler, son Thomas Secrest, grandson Chad Secrest, and daughter Linda Cotton.

The family would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Pauline and Charlie Newhouse who took such good care of Bernadine over the last 15 years.