Berniece M. (Hynek) Stanek, age 98 years, of Hillsboro, Wisconsin, passed away on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at home, surrounded by her family. She missed her 99th birthday by just 27 days.
She was born at the Hynek Family Farm in Yuba, Wisconsin on May 22, 1925, to Richard “Doc” and Rose (Wopat) Hynek. Berniece attended the Yuba School and Richland Center High School.
Berniece worked at the Hillsboro Canning Factory, Ray-O-Vac in Wonewoc and the Hillsboro School District. In 1966, Berniece quit Ray-O-Vac after 12 ½ years. This was to adopt a 5-week-old daughter that they named Sheryl Rose, whom they enjoyed very much. Berniece also drove the Kindergarten bus for the Hillsboro Schools for 28 years until retirement.
Berniece married her sweetheart, Ernest Stanek on September 24, 1946, at the St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Hillsboro. They were married for almost 66 years. They farmed their family farm in the Town of Greenwood all their lives.
Ernest and Berniece loved to do everything together! Some of their favorite activities included polka dances, fishing up north, hunting, mushrooming, looking for ginseng, visiting the Casino and playing BINGO!
Berniece is most known for her famous kolaches, rohlicky and rolls. She also loved to make homemade noodles, pies, cakes and cookies. She was an amazing cook! She was an avid gardener and loved canning her goods for her granddaughters, especially Dilly Beans.
Berniece was a lifetime member of the W.F.L.A. Lodge. She served as a treasurer for both Lodge 382 in Yuba and Lodge 32 in Hillsboro. She was a faithful member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Hillsboro and served on the St. Ann’s Altar Society for many years. Before she was married, she was an organist at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Yuba. For many years, before adopting Sheryl, she was also a member of the Double Cola Bowling Team.
Survivors include her daughter, Sheryl (Tom) Gehri of Hillsboro; granddaughters, Mara Mueller of La Crosse and Jenna Mueller of Wausau and also many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in by her loving husband, Ernest; sister and brother-in-law, Alice (Ernest) Housner; brother and sister-in-law, Richard (Bernice) Hynek; brothers-in law and sisters-in-law, Paul (Norma) Stanek, Margaret (Reinie) Degner, Clarence (Celia) Stanek, Edward (Lucille) Stanek, Arlie Stanek, Wencil Jr. (Mary) Stanek and Don (Lorraine) Stanek.
Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Hillsboro, with Father Don Bauer officiating. Burial will be in the Mount Vernon Cemetery, also in Hillsboro. A time of visitation will be at the Picha Funeral Home in Hillsboro on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 from 4 to 8 p.m. and at the Church on Wednesday from 10 to 11 a.m.
The family would like to Thank, the La Farge Family Medical Center, the Gundersen St. Joseph’s Hospital and ER and Agrace Hospice for their wonderful care.
The Picha Funeral Home in Hillsboro is assisting, for online information go to www.pichafuneralhomes.com
