Bernice A. "Bernie" Zak

Bernice A. “Bernie” Zak, 95 of Waterloo, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Rainbow Hospice of Johnson Creek.

Bernie was born on December 30, 1930, in Waterloo on the family farm, the daughter of Louis and Dora (Hilker) Schutz. She married Frank Zak on May 5, 1951, and the couple shared many happy years together until his passing in 1992. Bernie worked at the Waterloo Nursing Home, across the street from her own home in the late 1950s, when her son Wayne was a toddler, then later at the Weyenberg Shoe Factory, Waterloo until 1979

Bernie took some time off when her husband Frank retired in 1982. Together they traveled for many weeks each spring to Arizona to enjoy the flowers and hummingbirds. They also traveled many times to northern Wisconsin where Frank's brothers and sister resided.

In 1993, Bernie began working at Jim's Cheese Pantry in Waterloo, where she continued to work until it was found that she had cancer in May 2010.

Bernie enjoyed the many flowerbeds in her yard, her vegetable garden and was proud that up until the day she was diagnosed with cancer, she was still able to mow her own lawn.

Many of the people in Bernie and Frank's life are now the proud owners of homemade items they worked together to create. During Frank's lifetime, he and Bernie crafted from scratch nearly a dozen cedar chests from actual cedar wood and gave them to their sons, grandchildren, family members and friends. One of the chests now resides as far away as Montana with the daughter of their very good friends, Hazel and Bill Hasslestrom. Bernie crocheted many afghans for the new babies in the family and around the neighborhood.

Bernie is survived by: her children William Zak, Kenneth (Rilla) Zak and Wayne (Bev) Zak; grandchildren Steve (Linda) Zak and Jenny Zak; and siblings James (Sue) Schutz, Robert (Jo) Schutz, Betty Schultz, and Mary Schmidt. Bernice is also survived by a number of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Bernie is preceded in death by her parents, husband Frank, and siblings Raymond, Jean, and Kathy.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, November 6, 2026, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Waterloo with Rev. Robert Moberg presiding. Visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until the time of service at the church. Bernie will be laid to rest at Oak Hill Cemetery next to her husband following the service.