Bernice Elizabeth (Reining) Detten

Bernice Elizabeth (Reining) Detten, 76, of Amarillo, passed peacefully on October 16, 2024. 

Rosary will be said on Sunday, October 20, 2024, at 6 p.m. at St Francis Catholic Church, 5005 Klinke Rd in Amarillo. Mass will be celebrated at the church on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 10 a.m., with Interment following at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery. 

Bernice Elizabeth Reining Detten was born to Aloys August Reining and Isabel Mary Aichlmayer December 2, 1947 at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Amarillo, Texas. She was the second of 5 children.

Part of Bernice’s childhood was spent in Blue Hill, Nebraska where she and her siblings attended school in 2 different one room schoolhouses. She and her family moved back to the St. Francis community in 1960 after the death of her father. Bernice attended Highland Park School grade 7-9 and Palo Duro High School grades 10-12.

On December 18, 1965, Bernice married the love of her life, Daniel Arthur Detten at St. Francis church. Together they raised twin boys and two daughters. In Bernice’s words, she loved Danny with all her heart and soul, and her children were just the same.

She was an excellent teacher and an example of hard work and of devotion to her husband, children, and grandchildren. Her family and her faith were of utmost importance. Bernice’s actions instilled in her children the value of working together and praying together as a family.

Bernice supported Danny in every part of their lives. She drove the tractor, grain truck, grain cart, helped with the cattle operation and brought many delicious meals to the field. She was an excellent cook making everything from scratch, an immaculate housekeeper, meticulous seamstress and found joy in her yard work.

Bernice was the most devoted, caring grandmother. She poured into her grandchildren by teaching granddaughters how to sew, embroider, cross-stitch, and bake. There was always a tea party to be had, a puzzle to put together, and a dessert to share. The grandsons had a way of getting her involved in the backyard baseball games, with Grandpa as the pitcher and Grandma as the umpire. She had a way of making every grandchild feel special and so loved. Bernice was an excellent birthday party planner, Easter egg hider, and Christmas gift giver.

She served in many facets of her community and church family. She was a 4-H leader at the local and county levels. She also was a dedicated member of the St Francis church community by serving as a parish council member, member of the altar society, cleaning and decorating the church, and sausage dinner chairman.

One of Bernice’s most outstanding accomplishments was the compilation of “The Dettens, 100 years in the Texas Panhandle”. This book contains genealogies and stories of the descendants of Henry and Anna Detten. This book has been nicknamed the Detten Bible. It was truly a labor of love and devotion.

Bernice will be missed as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend.

She is preceded in death by her parents Al and Isy, and her husband of 58 years, Danny.

She is survived by her children: Danny and Sharon Detten, Jeff and Peggy Detten, Dana and Larry Koetting, and Janice and Matt Sowder; siblings: James Reining, Judy and Eddie Esch, Elaine Folley, Susan and Roger Wells; grandchildren: Kate, Jessica, Audrey, Lindsey, Jenny, Anna, Dean, Jodie, Scott, James, Logan, Garrett, Cole, Dylan and Jake; and 14 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Bernice’s memory to Capuchin Poor Clares Monastery – Amarillo, Sisters of St. Francis Covent – Amarillo, and Franciscan Sisters of Christ the Light – Panhandle.