Tami Jo (Harris) Bernitt, 47, passed away surrounded by family on Friday, Sept. 8, 2006 at the St. Croix Regional Medical Center in St. Croix Falls, Wisc. after a year-long battle with cancer.

The fourth of five daughters born to Bryce and Audrey (Damm) Harris, Tami was born July 12, 1959 in Tacoma, Wash. Her family moved to North Branch, Minn. in 1969. She attended North Branch High School with the class of 1978 and attended 916 Area Vocational Institute in White Bear Lake, Minn. for traffic office controller from September 1984 through December 1985.

Ten years later, in December 1995, she acquired a certificate for Principles of Supervision from WITC in New Richmond, Minn.

On May 4, 1979, Tami and Richard Steele welcomed into the world their son, Tamiís pride and joy, her biggest accomplishment, Bryce Allen Harris. On Dec. 7, 1985 Tami married Giles Nelson of North Branch. They built a new home on their property adjoining the Wild River State Park in Harris, Minn. where they lived until their separation in 1995.

She found the love of her life, Robert Bryan Bernitt (aka Bobbie or Bubba) of St. Croix Falls, Wisc. and they were married on Feb. 2, 2000 in Las Vegas. While she remained a diehard Vikings fan (much to her husbandís dismay), Tami loved living with Bobbie in the Wisconsin countryside where they designed and built their new home. She enjoyed watching birds and wildlife from their deck. She also enjoyed camping, ice-fishing, snowmobiling and canoeing on the Namekogon River with Bobbie and friends. Always quick to crack a joke and liven up a crowd, Tami enjoyed playing games with her family, be it pool, darts, dominos, cribbage or Catchphrase.

She was a hard-working woman who was dedicated to her job and devoted to her family. Family was of utmost importance to Tami, and she could always find time to spend a day sitting around the kitchen table talking endlessly with her four sisters or spending good quality time with her second mom (mother-in-law) Deanna Olson of Dresser, Wisc. Tami was preceded in death by her mother Audrey (Damm) Harris, grandparents Pearl and Ernest Harris and Alida and Alfred Damm.

Tami is survived by her beloved husband Robert Bernitt of St. Croix Falls, her son Bryce Harris, his wife Shelly (Johnson) Harris and their expected child (Tamiís first grandchild) of Chisago City, Minn.; father Bryce Harris of McCleary, Wash.; sister Shelley and brother-in-law Bruce Hesse of North Branch; sister Denise Harris and special friend Terry Rasmussen of Minneapolis, Minn.; sister Vickie and brother-in-law Wayne Nasby of Fairmont, Minn.í sister Lori and brother-in-law James Thomson of Maitland, Florida; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Tami will be dearly missed by all of her family, friends and co-workers.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 10 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Branch. Luncheon will be served in the fellowship hall immediately following the services.

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