Mary Frances Bernhardt, 83, of Fenton died Jan. 10, 2026, after complications related to Influenza A. Mrs. Bernhardt retired from Monsanto after 40 years. She enjoyed attending Cardinals games, concerts, trivia nights and Lions Club events. She also enjoyed hosting card games, meeting friends for margaritas, traveling the world from Beijing to London to Rome and spending time with family and friends. Born July 25, 1942, in St. Louis, she was the daughter of the late Rodney and Catherine (Diesel) Haug.
She was preceded in death by her first husband of 21 years: Charlie Rutledge; and her second husband of 28 years: Jim Bernhardt.
She is survived by two children: Jill (Chuck) Ketterer of St. Charles and Craig (Jane) Rutledge of Wildwood; three siblings: Anita (Jim) Fessler of The Villages, Fla., Paul (Bettie) Haug of Eureka and Janet (Gary) Overturf of Eureka; two grandchildren: Zoë Rutledge of St. Paul, Minn., and Isabel Rutledge of St. Louis; and three grandpets: Dot, Penny and Dutch.
She also was preceded in death by a daughter: Kelly Jean Rutledge; and three siblings: Carol (the late Dick) Harness, Richard Haug and Donny Haug.
A celebration of life is scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at Silo Point at Brookdale Farms, 7916 Twin River Road, in Eureka. Memorials may be made to The Independence Center of St. Louis at independencecenter.org.