Edna M. Kotrc Zuehlke

          Edna M. Kotrc Zuehlke, 106, of St. Paul died Saturday, April 08, 2017 at Brookefield Park in St. Paul.

          Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul with Father Rayappa Konka celebrating the Mass.  Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery in Palmer.

          Visitation will be on Tuesday, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home in St. Paul.

          Memorials are suggested to the Palmer EMT’s, Howard County Historical Society or the donor’s choice.

          Edna was born on a farm near Archer, NE on October 27, 1910.  She was the daughter of Stephen & Ruby (Kutch) Bahensky.  When Edna was a small child her family moved to the Gage Valley, NE area where she grew up. 

          She received her elementary education in rural school District 19.  Upon graduation from the 8th she attended St. Paul High School, graduating in 1929.  

          She was united in marriage to Paul Kotrc on June 5, 1929 in Arthur, NE by Judge Fruit.  They made their home on a small ranch in Arthur County until 1938 when they moved to a farm they purchased in the Gage Valley area.  After her husband’s death in 1942, she continued to live on the farm.   

          On September 10, 1945, she was united in marriage to Edward Zuehlke.  They farmed in the Gage Valley area until his retirement 1985 but they continued to make their home on the farm. 

          Ed passed away on October 14, 1998 but Edna continued to live on the farm until 1999 when she moved into Park Side Plaza in St. Paul, NE. 

          She was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul and was a longtime member of the Gage Valley Extension Club.

          Edna was a devoted farm wife and mother dedicated to the success of the farm and her family.  She enjoyed gardening, needlework, card playing, fishing and bowling.

          She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Milton and Marlene (Rasmussen) Kotrc of Kearney and Vernon and Lois (Rasmussen) Kotrc of Arvada, CO; a sister-in-law, Vanice Bahensky of St. Paul; a brother-in-law Raymond Zuehlke of St. Paul; 8 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren.

          She is preceded in death by her husbands; brothers and sisters-in-law LeRoy and Alice (Kotrc) Bahensky, Melvin “Doc” and Irene (Dauman) Bahensky and Lyle Bahensky.

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