Red Wing - Bernice Pietrzyk, 81, formerly of the Thief River Falls and Oklee areas, died on Tuesday, February 10, 1998 at the Hi-Park Care Center in Red Wing.
Funeral services were held Saturday, February 14 at 3 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness in Thief River Falls. Interment was in Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls. The Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home of Crookston was in charge of the arrangements.
Bernice Radack was born on April 28, 1916 at Chicago, IL, the daughter of James and Josephine (Kunnotosko) Radack. As a young girl she moved with her family to Deer Park township near Oklee. Bernice grew up there, attended rural school and spent most of her adult life there.
On April 14, 1935 she was united in marriage to Engval Christoferson at Kratka near Thief River Falls. The couple farmed in Deer Park township for many years. Engval died on August 15, 1964.
In 1968 Bernice married Walter Pietrzyk in Chicago, IL. They lived there for several years before moving to Santa Barbara, CA. After Walter's death in 1986, Bernice returned to her home area in Minnesota. She developed Parkinson's disease in 1986, progressively lost her strength and resided first at Riverview Nursing Home in Crookston and since 1995, at Hi-Park Care Center in Red Wing.
Bernice is survived by four daughters, Darlene Kotwas of Villa Park, IL, Barbara (Richard) Knutson of South Elgin, IL, Donna Brown of Geneva, OH and RoxAne (Lee) Hestnas of Red Wing; one son, Engval "Bud" (Kathy) Christoferson Jr. of Santa Barbara, CA; 15 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one sister, Mary (Clarence) Munson of Chicago, IL; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, George and James Radack; and two sisters, Marge Luketich and Josephine Singer.