Bernice A. Stirton, 92 of Muscotah, Kansas, passed away surrounded by her family on Sunday, December 4, 2022, at Mosaic Life Care, St. Joseph, Mo.

She was born on June 4, 1930, in Holton, Kansas the daughter of Roy and Ruth Gibson Daugherty. Bernice graduated from Circleville High School, Circleville, Kansas in 1948. Bernice attended Washburn University, Highland Community College, and Mount St. Scholastica where she earned a lifetime teaching certificate.

Bernice was a school teacher for 46 years in several schools. She began her teaching career at the Prospect Hill one-room schoolhouse and proceeded to teach at Muscotah, Willis, and Arrington, ending her teaching career as the 1st-grade teacher at Effingham Elementary School for 26 years. She was an avid sports coach and fan, coaching many basketball and softball teams at each school. Bernice retired from teaching in May 1995. Even though she retired from teaching, education was always a passion for Bernice in her retirement years. She put her 46 years of experience into babysitting her youngest three grandchildren. Each game that was played and song was sung to them with the idea of preparing them for school.

She was a member of the Muscotah United Church and First Nighter- Group. Bernice married Harold Stirton on July 30, 1950, in Circleville, Kansas.

Survivors include two daughters, Beverely Jeffrey (Cecil) of Effingham, Kansas, and Barbara Scoggins (Fleet) of Muscotah, Kansas. Additional Survivors include Six grandchildren, Robyn (Matt) Allen, Amanda (Andrew) Noll, Matthew (Amy) Jefferey, Wyatt (Katie) Scoggins, C.J. Stirton, and Lane (Sara J. Ochoa) Scoggins; nine great grandchildren, Jackson and William Allen, Hallie and Tenley Noll, Miles, Merritt, and Macoy Jeffrey, Raelyn and Rhett Scoggins. She is also survived by one niece, Marlene (Brad) Hermann Topeka, Kansas that she and Harold helped raise.

Bernice was preceded in death by her husband Harold, a son Curtis, her parents, and three sisters, Wilma Kissel, Mildred Tannahill, and Dorothy Wade.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 pm Saturday, December 10, 2022, at Dishon Maple Chaney Mortuary in Horton Kansas. Family visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the mortuary. Burial will be at the Brush Creek Cemetery southeast of Horton, Kansas Memorials may be made to the Stirton Educational Scholarship Fund and may be sent in care of the mortuary. A special message may be sent to the family at www.dishon-maple-chaney.com