Dodgeville – Bernietta C. Ley, age 94, of Dodgeville, passed away on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at Atrium Post Acute Care of Mineral Point.

She was born on January 30, 1924 in Wadena, Minnesota, a daughter of George and Gladys (Lawson) Auel. She graduated from Wadena High School and was a member of the Leaf River Builders 4-H. After high school, she helped make WW II warhead bombs in New York. She then worked for Fairbanks – Morse in Beloit for 5 years. On October 7, 1948, she married George Ley at St. Jude's Catholic Church in Beloit, Wisconsin. They were married for 58 years until George's death in 2007.

They moved to Dodgeville and rented several farms in the Dodgeville area until buying the Dunbar farm in 1954. Project Understanding was very important to her. It was giving kids from Mississippi a chance to experience farm life and she also cared for over 50 foster children over the years. Bernietta received the Rose Award which was for delivering "Meals on Wheels", which she did for many years.

Bernietta used the sewing room in the farm house as her corner to teach the ABC's, 123's and spelling lists to her children. She spent many hours producing quilts to pass out to family and friends, when not crocheting and knitting and embroidery. She went to and enjoyed various family reunions and picnics in Minnesota and Wisconsin and went on many trips, visiting and touring all the states except for Hawaii.

Grateful for having shared her life are: Jeanette (Edward Dickinson) Fernald, James (MaRochelle) Ley, John (Beth) Ley, Donald (Pauline) Ley, Betty (Daniel) Broaden, Diane (David) Funk, Patricia (Kevin) Doyle, Steven (Deanna Kruse) Ley, Philip (Dymphna) Ley.

She is further survived by her grandchildren Brian Fernald, Kevin Fernald, Sara Bollinger, Karen Bollinger, Lance Ley, Justin Ley, Jared Ley, Dawn Ley, Dennis Ley, Kayla Ley, Kelly Jo Ley, Krista Ley, Michael Broaden, David Broaden, Jeff Broaden, Karl Doyle, Lindsay Trankle, Laura Ley; her great grandchildren Lauren Fernald, Amabel, Brogan, Caecia, Danger Fernald, Allysa King, Silas Ley, Abigail, Eleanor Ley, Logan, Nash Ley, Jenna, Joshua Mayne, Anabelle Rossing, Addison Broaden, Tegan, Viera Broaden, Brooks, Baby Girl Broaden; her brothers Leonard (Rosalie) Auel and Lee (Ellie) Auel; her sisters Genevieve Sauer, Mary Ann (Carl) Butzin and Janice (Ed) Hofer; her sister-in-law Naomi Auel; other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband George, her parents, her brothers Arnold and Lois Auel and Eugene Auel, her grandson Thomas Broaden, her father and mother-in-law William (Susan) Ley, her brothers and sister-in-law Bert (Dora) Ley, Leo (Helen) Ley, Mary (Edward) Sperbeck, Eugene (Agnes) Ley and Francis Ley.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH in Dodgeville. Fr. Richard Leffler will officiate. Burial will be held in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Friends may call from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the GORGEN-McGINLEY & AYERS FUNERAL HOME in Dodgeville and from 10:00 a.m. until time of Mass on Wednesday at the church.