Bernardine J. Jagodzinski

Bernardine (Bert) Jagodzinski, age 100, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at River Run Assisted Living in Wisconsin Rapids, WI.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at St. Philip Catholic Church in Rudolph, WI, with Father Barry Saylor officiating, followed with burial in All Souls Cemetery, Rudolph. Visitation will be at the Ritchay Funeral Home in Wisconsin Rapids on Monday, July 7, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM with rosary at 6:30 PM. Visitation will also be at the Church from 10:00 to 11:00 AM the day of the funeral.
Bert was born in the Town of Carson, WI on May 11, 1925, the second of seven daughters of Anton and Mamie Kempen. She grew up in the Village of Rudolph and earned her high school diploma from St. Joseph Academy in Stevens Point, WI. On July 14, 1943, she married Corporal William Jagodzinski at St. Philip Catholic Church. They then moved to Sioux Falls, SD, where Bill was stationed in the U.S. Army. There she thoroughly enjoyed being a new, young wife and while there they met many lasting friends whose friendships they maintained for many, many years. Bill passed away on December 25, 1988.
Bert enjoyed a full, productive life immersing herself in the lives of her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her community at large. She was a senior advisor for Girl Scout Troop #45 for fifteen years and a Life Time member of the Girl Scouts. She was a member of the Arts Council board for two terms and immensely enjoyed being a member of the Wisconsin River Garden Club.
Bert loved researching her Dutch ancestry, educated herself in genealogy, and traveled to the Netherlands where she was able to locate her family roots. Through many years of research, she compiled and published the family histories of the Kempen and Vander Loop Families in a 370-page book entitled, The Coming/The Going.
And travel she did! At the age of seventy-two she back-backed through five European countries with a granddaughter. Additional trips included the Galapagos Islands, Peru, England, Ireland, the Holy Land, Costa Rica, an Alaskan Cruise, Lourdes, Fatima, and canoeing the Boundary Waters in Minnesota. She also loved attending Packer and Brewer games with her family.
She made annual trips to Montana visiting family where she enjoyed camping and hiking in the mountains of Yellowstone National Park. She so enjoyed being with her family cheering on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as they learned to water-ski and was able to attend many of their activities.
Still, another beautiful aspect of her life was her desire to pursue acrylic and oil landscape and still-life painting. She honed her skills by taking lessons from a trained artist. So many of her paintings have valued places in the homes of her children and grandchildren.
Bert was also civic minded. She became active in the zoning board of the Town of Rudolph when she saw that decisions were to be made that would affect the citizens and landowners of Rudolph. She became very involved in the compiling and publishing of the early history of the Town of Rudolph in the 448-page book entitled, Rudolph, a little Wisconsin Town with a story to tell, when it celebrated its sesquicentennial history, 1856-2006.
Bert is survived by two sons, Kenneth (Suzanne) of Bolingbrook, IL, their children Andrea (Tim) Hines and David, Dr. Gary (Judith) of Livingston, MT, their children Ann Marie (Jason) French, Dr. Ben (Dr. Tanya), and Bart (Paula), her three daughters, Holly (Dennis) Tourdot of Madison, WI, their children Heather (KC) Nilsen, William (Jen), and Eric (Carli), Mary Beth (Douglas) Kulinski, of Iola, WI, their children Nathan (Jasmine), Wesley, Aaron, and Bethany (Matt) Faskell, Tracy (William) Reichenbacher of Madison, WI, their children Claire, Alyce (Dan) Miller, and Grant. She is also survived by eighteen great grandchildren: William, Jack, and Evan Hines, Henry, Samuel, and Grace Jagodzinski, Duke and Eleanor French, Preston Jagodzinski, Bella, Sophia, and Lily Nilsen, Joelle and August Tourdot, Evelyn and Thomas Tourdot, Delilah Kulinski, Opal Hadley, Anthony Maggio, Wyatt and Lola Faskell. She is also survived by one sister, Helen Zubellla, and one sister-in-law, Margaret Hahn.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents and five sisters, Lucille O'Shasky, Clarabell See, Janet VanAsten, Irene VanAsten, and Marjory Schenk.
Bert was a real presence in her family and the community she lived in. She will be greatly missed.
Her family is grateful for the excellent care, compassion, and loving concern provided by the director, Melissa, and the wonderful staff of River Run Assisted Living. The family would also like to thank Dr. Lisa Olson, and Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services.
Contributions in her memory can be made to the Girl Scouts of Woodland Council, Wisconsin Rapids, WI, Wounded Warrior Project, or St. Philip Catholic Church.