Bernardine " Bernie" Nagel

Bernardine C. Nagel passed away on the morning of March 8, 2025. Please join us in celebrating the life of this extraordinary woman.

Mass of Christian burial will be held 2 p.m. Monday, March 17 at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, 520 Raymond St, Bismarck. A livestream link for Mass will be available on the funeral home’s website.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck. A rosary/vigil service will begin at 7 p.m.

Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 18 at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bismarck.

Bernie, as she was best known, was born on February 14, 1934 in St. Anthony, ND. The daughter of George and Genevieve Berger (nee Bullinger), she was the fourth of five children. The family moved to Mandan, where she went to school and graduated from Mandan High School.

Bernie met her husband Pius M. Nagel through friends. They were married on May 6, 1958 in Mandan. They lived in Bismarck, where they raised their eight children, and in 1975, they were awarded Catholic Family of the Year in ND by the Knights of Columbus; it was a recognition she held dearly.

Bernie was known throughout the community as the “pizza lady” for her many years working at Cashwise grocery store. In fact, community was so important to her, that she and Pius volunteered in the Capital City through the Bismarck Senior Center. To receive a piece of her impeccable embroidery was to receive a tangible, artistic gift of love. She often donated full sets of her highly sought-after dish towels to St. Alexius gift shop for charity. In the 70’s and 80’s, Bernie was a member of the Cathedral Choir, and in the 80’s and 90’s led music at Saturday Mass at Corpus Christi. She sang for many weddings and hundreds of funerals- she considered it a sacred duty.

Even in her later years, Bernie found her place in the community at the care facility in Garrison. She participated in all holiday celebrations and even BINGO. Throughout her life, wherever people gathered, you could find a smiling crowd around Bernie. She loved chatting with everyone and genuinely wanted to know about YOU and hear your stories. For that, and so many other reasons, she will be greatly missed.

Bernie was preceded in death by her parents and siblings (Eva, Edmund, Urban, and Lorene), as well as her husband of nearly 60 years. She is survived by all of her children: Michael (ND), Robert and Tukta (AZ), Patrick and Suk Chong (KS), Terese and Andy (UT), Mary Margaret and David (CA), Christopher and Gina (CA), Carolyn and Rafael (CA), and Gerard and Angela (ND), as well as all of her 15 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, consider volunteering for something you love.