Jeanne R. Berninger

Jeanne R. Berninger, 92, a resident of Muncy, passed away Friday, November 25, 2022 in Muncy Place.

Born June 19, 1930 in Bloomsburg, she was a daughter of the late James L. and Martha May (Snyder) Ruckle. On June 7, 1952 she married Donald C. Berninger. Together they celebrated 62 years of marriage before his death on Apr. 24, 2015.

Jeanne was a 1948 graduate of Bloomsburg High School and a 1952 graduate of Bloomsburg State Teacher’s College. Her teaching career began in a first grade classroom in Catawissa then to the Argentina Naval Base in NewFoundland, where she taught third grade. In 1968 she returned to teach first grade in Pennsdale before the school closed. Jeanne then taught third grade at Myers Elementary until she retired in 1988.

She was a former member of Faith United Methodist Church, Montoursville and a current member of Muncy Baptist Church.

Musically talented, Jeanne started taking piano lessons in 1936 and voice lessons in 1944. While in high school she sang lead soprano in the chorus and had the lead role in the school plays. She participated in the band playing the cymbols and typani. Jeanne was also a part of the President’s Trio while in college. Her love of music excelled as she took on the role of choir director throughout her life beginning as director of the military choir in Argentina. Jeanne also directed the Children’s choir in Charleston, SC; and the choirs at the Bethany United Methodist Church, Hughesville; Faith United Methodist Church, Montoursville and the First United Methodist Church, Muncy. She was the musical director for the Muncy High School plays for 12 years. Most notably, Jeanne organized and sang in the West Branch Chorale, before becoming the director in 1977, a position she held for 38 years, growing the choir from 14 voices to the largest group of 82 voices. Jeanne believed in sharing their talents and took the Chorale to Europe five times, including England, Scotland, Wales, Germany and Austria. They also traveled to the Crystal Cathedral in California and to Canada.

Jeanne enjoyed teaching piano and voice lessons, knitting, reading, crewel and traveling with her husband. Together they went to Germany, with the Catawissa Band. They also traveled to England, Hawaii, and on cruises to Alaska, Jamaica, the Caribbean, Bermuda,  the Bahamas and aboard a Mississippi paddleboat.

Surviving are one son, Douglas Berninger (Mary Lee), of Berwick; one daughter, Diane Brink (Dave), of Muncy; one daughter-in-law, Rebecca Berninger, of Muncy; three  grandchildren, Dara Santos (TJ), of York, Danielle Egly (Dan), of Hughesville and Breanne Muthler (Justin), of Tunkhannock; one sister, Carole Connolley, of Bloomsburg; and six great-grandchildren, Crew and Kenley Santos, Rhenn and Lola Egly, and Beckett and Greyson Muthler.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by a son, Daniel C. Berninger and a brother-in-law, Richard Connolley.

Friends will be received from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, December 3, at the Muncy Baptist Church, 11 W. Penn St., Muncy, where the funeral will be held at 11 a.m. with her pastor, the Rev. Robert Rice, officiating.

Burial will follow in the Muncy Cemetery.

The family will provide the flowers and suggests contributions be made to either the Muncy Baptist Church, 11 W. Penn St., Muncy, PA 17756 or to the West Branch Chorale, c/o John Libbey, 27 Temple Hill Rd., Hughesville, PA 17737.

The family is being assisted by Grenoble’s, 121 S. Main St., Muncy.