Bernice Delores (nee Semerad) Kvidera

Bernice Kvidera (nee Semerad) was born on May 11, 1925 in Elma, Iowa.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Stephen, in 1970, two sisters, Ione Stodola and Inez Pelley and three brothers, Arthur Semerad, Alfred Semerad and Dennis Semerad.  She is survived by six children, Karen (Tom Meyer) of Wild Rose, WI; Ellen (Dan) Fox of Elma, IA;  Diane of North Adams, MA; William of Milwaukee; Angela of Milwaukee and Elizabeth (David) Svehlek of Rhinelander, WI.  She adored five grandchildren, Brooke (Travis) Hacker, Dan (Kassidy) Arp, Kelli Fox, Sara (Dave) Weis and Krista Fox and five energetic, lovable and wildly talented great-grandchildren, Emily and Amelia Hacker, Austyn Arp, Bradyn and Carson Weis.  She is also survived by four brothers, Robert Semerad of Fairfax, VA; Richard Semerad of Jim Falls, WI; Leonard Semerad of Jackson, WI and Paul Semerad of Flushing, MI.

Bernice was the oldest of ten children.  Her parents, Ludvig and Anna (Kuhn) Semerad farmed 120 acres in Iowa and had dairy cows, hogs and chickens.  Bernice started working early in life as a mother’s helper on different farms.  During WWII, she worked at a Baraboo munitions plant, but it was quite dangerous, so she wisely decided to work at the University of Wisconsin Madison making butter.  She was hired by advertising executive Bernice Fitz-Gibbon and she worked many years for the Fitz-Gibbon family on Long Island, NY keeping in close contact throughout her life.  Upon her return to Iowa, Bernice worked at St. Francis Hospital in Waterloo as a nursing assistant.  One of her patients arranged a blind date and she met her future mate.  On February 3, 1951 she married Stephen Kvidera in a double-ring ceremony with her sister, Inez.  Bernice lived in Iowa until 1973 at which time she moved her family to Wisconsin.

Family will receive relatives and friends Tuesday August 21, 2018 from 10AM-11AM at St. Kilian Catholic Church 262 W. State Street Hartford, WI.  Mass of Resurrection will follow at 11AM.

Interment will be at a later time in Traer, Iowa at St. Paul’s Catholic Church cemetery.

After 9-11 Bernice prayed the rosary every day for world peace.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bernice Delores (nee Semerad) Kvidera, please visit our floral store.