Corlene Zwiener

On Friday, October 1, 2021, a heart still filled with love for her family and home, stopped beating. Corlene Zwiener of rural Pleasanton passed away at the age of 96 at CHI Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Due to a family emergency, the family will hold private family services. Interment will follow at Pleasanton St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Pleasanton Fire and Rescue Department. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. Corlene J. (Bernert) Zwiener was born June 1, 1925 to Felix and Jesse (Linder) Bernert on the family farm south of Mason City. She attended a small school house south of Mason City and later graduated from Mason City High School. Her school days were long as she walked and rode horses to school daily. While growing up she took the time to walk to her “Aunt Minnie Trampes’ house to help her with daily chores and care for their seven children. At the age of 22, Corlene met and married her forever husband, Bernard Zwiener. They were married on February 8, 1947 on the anniversary of Corlene’s parents. After the wedding, Bernard and Corlene settled on a farm southwest of Pleasanton which held so many memories for all the family. After the death of Bernard in 2000, Corlene remained on the family farm, managing her land and home until her death. Easter, Memorial Day barbeques, Thanksgiving and Christmas were celebrated at her home for many years. She loved having everyone come, especially the grandchildren and great grandchildren. She usually found a chair in the corner and would laugh and watch all the commotion of the little kids running back and forth. The little ones is where her two nicknames came to be “Granny on the Farm and Grandma Lulu. Her life on the farm was busy helping Bernard with farm chores and field work while raising her four children. Corlene’s garden was very large so lots of canning was done. Dressing chickens and baking pies in the early morning hours so her family could enjoy a great home cooked meal. She was a wonderful cook and always had lots of goodies to eat. Corlene was a faithful member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pleasanton. She belonged to the Alter Society and was always willing to help out. As years passed and her health was starting to decline, Corlene needed extra care, Christy and Barb shared hours taking special care of her. These two women were wonderful and soon became part of our family. Riding in her prized possession “The Ranger”, going to Kearney for groceries, going to the River Stop for ice cream or just long drives in the country brought her much joy and Christy and Barb never let her down. If not out for a ride she would walk from window to window watching the deer and turkeys cross her yard, rabbits playing by her front door, the birds setting on the electric lines and the cows and horses coming in for water. It was all these little things that made her happy. Another one of Corlene’s highlights was the many “Girls weekend” trips to Colorado to stay with her granddaughter. Lots of fun and laughs were had by all. Left to cherish to her memory are her daughter, Sharon (Al) Cover of Kearney; sons, Ed (Mary Ann) Zwiener, Wayne (Shirley) Zwiener and Weldon (Deb) Zwiener, all of Pleasanton; 18 grandchildren; 31 great grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; a grandson; two brothers, Edward Bernert and Francis (Vivian) Bernert; sister-in-law, Bernice (Tony) Antonavich; brothers-in-law, Sylvester (Catherine) Zwiener and Louis (Betty) Zwiener. She will be greatly missed!

Corlene Zwiener

June 1, 1925 - October 1, 2021