Bernice Bolte

Bernice Pauline (Kathman) Bolte, 95, of Lawrence, Neb., died Friday May 21, 2021, at Cambridge Court Assisted Living in Kearney, Neb. Rosary was at 7:30 p.m., Monday, May 24, and Mass was at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, both at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Lawrence with Father Loren Pohlmeier officiating. Burial was in St. Stephen Cemetery, rural Lawrence. Visitation was Monday, at the Lawrence Visitation Chapel, Lawrence. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Dominican Sisters of Peace, 3600 Broadway, Great Bend, Kan. 67530 or Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Lawrence. Private condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.mertenbutlermortuary.com. Merten-Butler Mortuary, Blue Hill, NE. was in charge of arrangements.

Bernice was the oldest of five children born to Frank and Bertha (Bauer) Kathman on May 5, 1926. Bernice grew up in rural Lawrence and went to school through eighth grade. She was a caregiver for most of her life starting when she was 13 working for a neighbor. She married Lawrence Bolte on April 23, 1946. To this union six children were born. She and Lawrence were self- sufficient and worked as a team when it came to farming. Often when Lawrence was in the field, she milked their herd of dairy cows on her own or with the children and still had dinner ready when he came home. She kept a large garden, canned, helped process their own beef, pork and chickens and baked bread, kolaches, runzas and pies. She had fresh baked cookies for the children, grandchildren and their friends.

After she raised her family, she worked at Lawrence Public Schools as a cook for 13 years. She volunteered for many causes including the Red Cross Blood Mobile, sitting at the funeral home during wakes and dearest to her heart, serving the Catholic church in any way possible including leading the rosary and serving in the Altar Society. Most recently, before COVID, she and her sister Eileen made many trips to the nearby nursing home to assist residents in playing Bingo or just to visit. In her free time, she liked to sew, quilt and listen to polka music. Bernice will be remembered as a loving, giving, compassionate, hardworking yet fun mother, grandmother and friend.

Survivors include her two sons, Bill (April) Bolte of Central City, and Jim (Dana) Bolte of Lawrence; daughters, Betty (Harold) Daake of Riverdale, Alice (Dan) Buser of Kearney, and Lora (Rob) Messbarger of Kearney; her sister, Eileen Buschkoetter of Lawrence; sister-in-law, Bertha Kathman of Hastings; brother-in-law, Paul Faimon and his wife, Wanda of Lawrence; 14 grandchildren; 23 great- grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild on the way; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; daughter, Sister Lorena Bolte; grandson, William Messbarger; brother, Irvin Kathman; sisters, Alma Schroer and Joan Faimon; brothers-in-law, LeRoy Buschkoetter and Hubert Schroer.