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Teaching and living in Quincy
Tammara Green/Post-Register
Mary Alice Berndt teaches English as a second language classes in Quincy.
Mary Alice Berndt began her childhood in Indianapolis, Ind. and lived there until the age of 10. Her father followed a job to Baton Rouge, La., and she remained there until her senior year in high school. Later on, Berndt attended Louisiana Tech, where she majored in vocal music. She then transferred to Concordia Lutheran College in Milwaukee, Wis., where her aunt and grandparents lived.
That year, she met her future husband, Jeff Berndt, who was studying in St. Louis to be a pastor. After marriage, they lived in Montana, then Wisconsin for three years, until they finally made the move to George. Berndt taught ESL classes for Big Bend Community College for six years, and was offered the opportunity to teach the classes at St. Paul Lutheran Church when the family moved to Quincy three years ago.
Berndt keeps busy raising her four children, one girl and three boys. The oldest two are in high school and the other two are home-schooled. She is ready for another season of English classes at the church, which are set to begin on Oct. 10. “We offer GED and English classes all the way through Memorial Day. They are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m.,” Berndt said.
This past summer, she was able to spend some time camping with her family at Glacier National Park. Her husband, Jeff, and her two oldest boys went hiking. On Logan Pass, the family found themselves in the middle of a thunderstorm, and discovered the tent had no zippers that worked. Besides being outdoors in the summertime, Berndt enjoys sewing and reading.
“The people here in Quincy are awesome. Everybody pitches in during Farmer-Consumer Awareness Day, which couldn’t happen without people coming together,” she said.
