Bernadine Evans Stake, 92, died on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, while on a small walk in Carle Park, a special place in her life since 1963 when she and her young family moved to Urbana from eastern Nebraska. Bernadine was born on a farm near Lindy, Neb.
, on April 29, 1926. Bernadine was a graduate of the University of Nebraska, and also received a master’s and doctorate in education from the University of Illinois. Bernadine was at heart an educator, starting out as a teacher in a one-room country schoolhouse, teaching elementary students in San Diego, and later teaching science education to elementary teachers.
Her dissertation described her research on math problem solving by children. For the Educational Testing Service, she was principal evaluator of PLATO computer elementary mathematics education and for the National Science Foundation she evaluated the National Equity Demonstration Project based in Broward County, Florida. She served on the Equal Rights Committee of the American Educational Research Association.
Bernadine served on the Urbana City Council during 1969-1973, 1975-1981 and 1983-1989, and on the Planning Commission from 1995 to 2014. She was the Democratic Precinct Committee Chair for the 10th Precinct, 4th Ward for many decades. An active leader in local government, she promoted a progressive agenda which included passage of a Human Rights Ordinance in 1975, the first in the state and one of the first in the nation to acknowledge LGBTQ rights.
She introduced and shepherded the passage of a Fair Housing Law for the City of Urbana to thwart redlining and she introduced a resolution putting Urbana on record opposing the war in Vietnam to the consternation of more conservative voices. Bernadine also promoted tenant safety with an ordinance requiring deadbolts on all exterior doors of apartments. She advocated for protecting the environment in many ways, including residential collection of recyclable materials, which passed in 1986.
She was appointed to the Urbana Planning Commission in 1995 and served for almost twenty years as a force to be reckoned with in support of farms, families, and good government. By blazing a trail of improvements in local governance, Bernadine inspired women to pursue political leadership. She campaigned tirelessly for other women pursuing careers in government.
She fought for fairness and justice for all in every way she could, despite often strident opposition. Bernadine was not afraid to challenge the status quo. She was way ahead of her time.
Bob and Bernie attended and supported the Unitarian-Universalist church, starting in Lincoln, Nebraska, then the “Green Street” church in Urbana. In addition they attended Camp Unistar in Minnesota for many years. Bernadine served twice as president of the board for the Channing-Murray foundation, the campus affiliate of the church.
Her foundation however was her family. And that family was a large one; her kids, her kids’ friends, her husband’s graduate students. All were welcome.
Grandma Beena, an energetic, spirited, and loving woman, was beloved for her fighting spirit, her optimism, and her caring nature. Her overt mission when it came to family was to see that there was enough, enough food, enough beds, enough love, always love, and enough home baked pie when the need arose, and even when it didn’t. She will be greatly missed, but her spirit lives on in all who knew her, especially in her children and grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Burt and Ida Haug Evans; her brother, Bert Merlin Evans; and her sister, Pauline Evans Lemke. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Robert Stake; her children, Jeffrey Stake (Janet), Benjamin Stake (Nitaya ), Sara Stake (Mark Joselyn), Jacob Stake (Kim Knutson); and grandchildren, Christopher, Laura, Alison, Walker and Constantine Stake, Ben, Sam and Nellie Joselyn; great-grandson, Maceo Jean-Pierre; great-granddaughter, Sloane Craig-Stake; her brother, Kenneth Evans (Marilynn) and her sisters, Enid Kollars and Claryce Lee Evans. A memorial service will be held this spring at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Urbana Champaign.
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, please consider a memorial donation to the Channing-Murray Foundation, Courage Connection of Urbana or the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, or a cause of your choice.
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