BERNHARDT, Doris

The Verde Independent, Cottonwood, Arizona Sunday, March 30, 2014 Doris Bernhardt, 87, of Cottonwood, AZ passed away at home on Jan. 27, 2014 after a short illness. She was born on August 14, 1926 in Liberty, MO. and was the 6th child of John and Pauline (Ferguson) Wubbenhorst. She grew up in Missouri and graduated from Shawnee Mission High School. After living in California and working for the Department of Water and Power in Los Angeles for many years she moved to Sedona with her family in 1972. Doris was a long time resident of the Sedona - Verde Valley area. Doris and her previous husband (James Markowitz) owned the Grasshopper Bar, the Exxon gas station in the Village of Oak Creek and a vacuum repair business, all in Sedona. She also worked at A.J. Bayless grocery store in Sedona for many years. After her husband James death in 1992 she became re-acquainted with Jack Bernhardt, a family friend from her high school years, and they soon found themselves in love and married in 2001. Everyone who knew Doris describe her as kind, loving, loyal, fun and a real lady. She will be truly missed by all who knew her and her children all feel privileged to have had her as their mother. Doris is survived by her husband Jack Bernhardt and her 6 children; David Stanton (Carole), Teresa Johnson (Gary), Richard Smith (Colleen), Janis Egan, Philip Smith (Jan), all from the Verde Valley and Martha Dort (Jim) of Glendale, AZ. Also her ex-husband Clarence Smith of Cottonwood and 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren plus several stepchildren and grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, 2 brothers John and Norman, 2 sisters Evelyn Brand and Loretta Hall and her husband of 29 years James E. Markowitz. Information provided by survivors.