Edwin J. Kudrna, 86, Dickinson, passed away on Sunday, August 9, 2020 at CHI St. Alexius Dickinson. His little whistle was silenced forever. Ed’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, August 27, 2020 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church with Fr. Robert Shea as celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service. There will be a private family rosary & vigil with Deacon Bob Stockert presiding.
Edwin Jerry Kudrna was born to Henry and Bessie (Urbanec) Kudrna on February 19, 1934. He was raised on a farm in Dunn County where he attended school through the eighth grade in New Hradec.
He worked with his parents on the farm until his parents moved into Dickinson. He continued farming for the next 22 years. He began working for and managed the KC Club for six years. He then worked for Flint Engineering for five years until the company relocated to another state, at this time he began working for Dickinson Ready Mix. A job he described as the best he ever had. He continued working there until he had his stroke, but often had said he would go back to work in an instant if he could.
His retirement years were spent visiting with friends at the Eagles Club; driving out to the farm where our son, Rob raised cattle and hay. He loved to see the baby calves grow up and liked to see the hay and wheat fields, along with canola, sunflowers, and corn (he would comment about it being knee high by the 4th of July).
He was a member of St. Wenceslaus Parish since he married Blanche Kostelecky on September 27, 1955. He served as a Eucharistic Minster for many years and also had delivered communion and visited with shut-ins. He was 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of the Eagles Club. He was proud of his Czech Heritage and he could dance the polka and waltz, having danced with his mother on her 79th birthday.
Survivors are his wife, Blanche; his children, Danielle Kenneweg, Kent (Marty) Kudrna, Connie Kudrna, Teryl (Art) Elkins, and Robert Kudrna; grandchildren, Eric (Shannon) Kenneweg, Lucas (AJ) Kenneweg, Sarah (Mike) Horner, Adrienne (Luke) White, Kyle (Michelle) Kudrna, Justin (Kaitlyn) Kudrna, Keyona Elkins, and Dalton Elkins; great-grandchildren, Hudson and Jamieson Horner, Kellan Kudrna, Caroline White, and two on the way; and sister, Dianne (Darrel) Cuskelly.
