Norris Dean Bernasek

Notes:

A Funeral Service for Czech will be held on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the Milligan Auditorium in Milligan, Nebraska. Kim Dunker will preside over the Funeral Service.

A Graveside Service will be held in the Bohemian National Cemetery following the Funeral Service.

A Public Visitation will be held at Farmer & Son Funeral Home in Geneva on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with family present from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Memorials are suggested to the Geneva Rescue Squad.

Norris Dean "Czech" Bernasek was born to Jim & Alice (Kohler) Bernasek on June 5, 1935 in Glengary Township, Fillmore County on a farmstead. He passed away on Saturday, January 29, 2022 at Fillmore County Hospital at the age of 86 years, 7 months, and 24 days. He was the only child born to this union.

Norris attended Country School District 34, just off of Highway 41 when he was 4 years old. He graduated from Geneva High School in 1952. He played high school sports, including football, basketball, and baseball. After high school, Norris attended Hastings College on a football scholarship. Norris joined the Army a few years later but was released in early 1959 to come home and help his father with the farm.

Norris married Lois on May 18, 1958. Through their union of marriage, 4 children were born: Cindi, Kevin, Michelle, and Tami.

Norris and Lois divorced and Norris married Nancy Kalvoda on October 12, 1988 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Through marriage, He acquired two step children: Christina and Cassandra, who he raised like his own.

Norris loved music. In his younger years, he played drums in various bands, including the Platte Valley Countrymen Band.

In their time together, Norris and Nancy enjoyed dancing, fishing, boating, and camping in luxury at Kansas Lakes Lovewell and Glen Elder. Gambling was another activity they both enjoyed doing together. Norris also enjoyed gardening including tilling the ground, planting, watering, and watching his crops grow. Norris was always a lover of animals, going so far as to name his cattle, with his favorite being "Shakey." Norris was also a huge sports fan and hardly missed a game by his favorite teams, often sitting in his recliner watching intently.

Norris was preceded in death by his parents, Jim & Alice Bernasek; and granddaughters Brittany Rainey and Anasthasta Rainey.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Kalvoda; children Cynthia (Bernasek) & Mike Andreasen, Kevin Bernasek & significant other Karen Hoffman, Michelle (Bernasek) Lemke, Tami (Bernasek) & Ken Vodicka, Christina (Kalvoda) & Tod Davenport and Cassandra (Kalvoda) Wilkerson; and grandchildren Danny, Jeff, Jill, Charlotte, Allie, Sydney, Tyler, Trevor, Tristian, Dylan, Sarah, Anna, Maddison, Davis, Harper, Tristan, Hunter, Dominic, Savannah, and Blakely; and great grandchildren Boden, Hayden, Codie, Riley, Ryan, Brenden, Link, Clara, Mila, Bristol, Katherine and Kaden.


(Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy, from Farmer & Son Funeral Home)

Notes:

It is ASSUMED this is him on the SSDI: JAMES F BERNASEK 16 Sep 1901 19 Jul 1991 (not specified) (none specified) Nebraska

James married Alice M. Kohler on 18 Jun 1924 in Belleville, Republic County, Kansas. Alice (daughter of Emil Koahler and Rose Bedlan) was born on 3 Oct 1901 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 22 Dec 2003 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried on 26 Dec 2003 in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Frank was working as a cobbler in Bohemia at the age of 16, and moved to America at the age of 17

His first home after he married was a farm in Glengary Township. He acquired land by paying the railroad $500 for one half of a farm and Albert Tyson $2,000 for the remaining half. He and Josefa first build a sod house, then replaced this with a small home. Lated they moved to a farm in Chelsea Township, and finally moved to Milligan.

Frank became a citizen on February 24, 1896. He was a member of Lodge Rabi #27. (Milligan, p 201)

Ken Chromy shows him as born in Bohy 24, Bohemia instead of Hinze, Plzen.

Frantisek married Josefa Fujan on 6 Nov 1883 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Josefa (daughter of Josef Fujan and Marie Ziskova) was born on 17 Feb 1862 in Hlinci, Plzen, Bohemia; died on 4 Jun 1942 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Josefa Fujan, daughter of Frank and Mary Ziska Fujan, was born at Hinze, Krah Plzen, Okres Kralovice, Bohemia on February 17, 1862. She came to this country with Mr. and Mrs. Frank Holzinger and her brother, John Fujan, reaching the United States on Good Friday in 1879. Her parents, brothers Jim, Frank, and sister, Mary Kaderabek stayed in Czechoslovakia. A half brother, Tom Andel and half sister, Marie Andel, came to America at another time. Tom stayed in Chicago and Marie married Frank's brother Cyril.

She was a member of Lodge Cechie #122 ZCBJ of Milligan (Milligan, p 201)

Ken Chromy isntead shows her place of birth as Hlinci, Bohemia.

Notes:

Married:
To their marriage were born eight children, two of whom died as infants.

Notes:

Emil came with his parents to America. When they were in transit, he had a string tied on a bottle, dragging it behing in the water, and as he was bending over, he almost fell in the ocean. Luckily, someone pulled him back up by the shirt tale. He grew up on a farm in Glengary Township. He was a farmer. (Milligan, p 344)

Emil married Rose Bedlan on 25 Nov 1896 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Rose (daughter of Jan "John" Bedlan and Johanna Janous) was born on 4 May 1880 in Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska; died on 21 Sep 1949 in Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of John BEDLAN and Johanna JANOUS. She had six sisters: Lula TISCHER, Emma BEDLAN, Eliza ZEMAN, Mary STEINACHER, Anna KOTAS and Mrs. Lewis ZEMAN, and four brothers, Joe, Emil, Frank and Edward. (Milligan, p 344).

Notes:

"Josef Bernasek was born in the village of Prodeslady, town of Kravovice, county of Plzen in Bohemia on June 20, 1831.

His death certificate lists his parents as Ondrej Bernasek and Katherine Vcela. He was married in Bohemia to Josefa Urbanek. He came to the Milligan area from Europe twice, his name being first recorded in a book of Homestead records at the Nebraska State Historical Society in Lincoln as filing a claim to 80 acres in Section 10 of Glengary Township on October 17, 1870. John Bernasek cliamed 80 acres in the same quarter on the same day. Vaclav Bernasek, a son of John's, recived the patent on the farm Joseph Bernasek claimed. It is not definately known how John and Joseph were related. They could have been brothers. MILLIGAN NEBRASKA 1988-2008 indicates that the claim for 80 acres in section 10 used a 3 letter abbreviation for his first name, probably read as JOS. for Joseph, but may have actually been Jas. for James, with his given name actually being VACLAV. The patent on that land would later go to Vaclav Bernasek. (p. 113).

Josef and Josefa and their three children, Frank 16, Cyril 13 and Marie 10 came to the United States a second time on the Steamship "Zoffie," leaving Hamburg, Germany on March 20, 1879 and docking in the New York Port on Good Friday April 10, 1879. Daughters Emilye, Marie, Frantiska, Josefa and Kristina died of diptheria in Bohemia. This is possibly why Joseph did not prove the homestead. He may have received word from Bohemia of the illness of his daughters, and returned for sometime with his wife and children before returning to the United States. When the family returned, they migrated to the homestead of John Bernasek (assumed to be his brother by this compiler) where they lived until they were able to move to their farm. Joseph contracted 80 acres, the E 1/2 NE 1/4 of Section 21 in Glengary Township on July 1, 1879, with the Burlinton and Missouri River Railroad Company. He received the deed on October 3, 1889. The farm was given to his son, Frank, on July 11, 1895. It is still in the Bernasek family, owned by Ervin and Carol Bernasek. Joseph and oldest son Frank went to Geneva on July 3, 1879 to file their naturalization papers. Joseph was sworn in as a citizen on Mary 31, 1887.

Joseph contracted another 80 acres, the E 1/2 NE 1/4 of Section 17 in Glengary Township on October 24, 1879, with the Burlington and Missouri. This contract was made for 10 years at $5.50 an acre. Joseph received the deed on July 9, 1887 from the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. This farm was given to his son Cyril. (Milligan, p 202). He made a stipulation that Cyril must give his parents one-third of the crops raised and a comfortable room in the house. Cyril and his wife sold the farm to Frank Kassik on April 30, 1908 for $7,600. (Milligan, p 199)

Joseph met with a fatal accident on July 17, 1906, at age 75. He and his wife were riding in a buggy when the horses were frightened by a pile of manure at the stockyards on the south end of the city limits. Joseph was thrown from buggy, killed almost instantly. Josephine was also thrown, but escaped with a few bruises. The funeral was conducted from the Catholic Church. (Milligan, p 202).

[Note: Ken Chromy instead has his location of birth as Babina (Plasy), Bohemia.]

(Research):

Census Listings:

FamilySearch 1880 National Census

Census Place:Glengary, Fillmore, Nebraska
Source:FHL Film 1254748 National Archives Film T9-0748 Page 51 RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace
Joseph BENNESEK Self M M W 52 BOHEMIA Occ:Farmer Fa: BOHEMIA Mo: BOHEMIA
Josefine BENNESEK Wife F M W 51 BOHEMIA Occ:House Keepe rFa: BOHEMIA Mo: BOHEMIA
Cirrall BENNESEK Son M S W 15 BOHEMIA Occ:At Schoo lFa: BOHEMIA Mo: BOHEMIA
Mary BENNESEK Dau F S W 12 BOHEMIA Occ:At School Fa: BOHEMIA Mo: BOHEMIA

Josef married Josefa Urbankova. Josefa was born on 16 May 1831 in Bohy, Plzen-Sever, Plzensk? Kraj, Bohemia; died on 25 Apr 1914 in Atlanta Township, Saline County, Nebraska; was buried on 26 Apr 1914 in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

After her husband's death, Josephine made her home on the farm with a grandson, Cyril Bernasek. When she became ill, she went to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Marie and Vaclav Koca in Atlanta Township of Saline County. She died at the Koca home on April 25, 1914, at the age of 83. A "Card of Thanks" in the Milligan Times expresses the family's thanks to Charles Smrha for the impressive speech at the mourners home and cemetery, to Messrs. Frank Hrdy, Charles Smrha and Norbert Svatos for the beautiful song service, to Vaclav Koca for the religious ceremony, the undertakers Frank Rozanek and Joe Matejovsky for last service rendered, and to Mrs. Josephine Rohla for loving service in time of sickness and comfort in the final hours. (Milligan, p 202). Ken Chromy shows she was a daugheter of J. DUSKOVA and Mr. URBANEK, and that she was born in Bohy.

Josef married Marie Ziskova about 1858 in Bohemia. Marie was born about 1839 in Slatina, Kralovice, Bohemia; died before 1922 in Bohemia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

His last name was spelled KOHLER, with an umlaut over the "O." Some of his children used the same spelling as he, others spelled their last name KOAHLER. Frank located an 80-acre homestead, the E 1/2 SE 1/4 of Section 6, which he filed for claim at the land office in Beatrice, Nebraska on May 20, 1872. He received a clear deed to the land on March 5, 1880. He and Mary purchased additional land in Fillmore County, some of which they sold to their sons. (Milligan, p 344).

Frantisek married Marie "Mary" Zinter. Marie was born on 1 May 1840 in Bohemia; died on 14 Mar 1920 in Stanton Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mary spent the last four months of her life with her youngest daughter, Mrs. John MASSOTH. She was buried at St. Joseph Cemetery as there was no room near her husband, Frank. At the time of his death, burials were made side by side as the deaths occurred. (Milligan, p 345).

Jan married Johanna Janous. Johanna was born about 1859 in Bohemia; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]