Bernice Pauline (Kathman) Bolte

Bernice Pauline (Kathman) Bolte, 95, of Lawrence, NE. died Friday May 21, 2021 at Cambridge Court Assisted Living in Kearney, NE.  Rosary will be Monday, May 24, 2021, 7:30 p.m. and Mass will be Tuesday, May 25, 2021, 10:30 a.m. both at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Lawrence, NE. with Father Loren Pohlmeier officiating.  Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, rural Lawrence, NE.  Visitation will be Monday, May 24, 2021 from 3:00-8:00 p.m. at the Lawrence Visitation Chapel, Lawrence, NE.  In Lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Dominican Sisters of Peace, 3600 Broadway, Great Bend, KS. 67530 or Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Lawrence, NE.  Private condolences may be sent to the family at www.mertenbutlermortuary.com.  Merten-Butler Mortuary, Blue Hill, NE. is 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 thirteen working for a neighbor.  She married Lawrence Bolte on April 23, 1946.  To this union six children were born. She and Lawrence were very 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 kids 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 always had fresh baked cookies for the kids, grandkids and their friends.

After she raised her family, she worked at Lawrence Public schools as a cook for thirteen 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, fourteen grandchildren, twenty-three 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. 

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