Mrs. Bernice Catherine Odgers of Hartford, died on January 14, 2016 at the age of 90. Bernice was born to Alex and Cecilia Casper. She was the eldest of six children and raised in Newburg, WI.
Bernice was wed to Don F. Odgers of Watertown in 1947. Bernice and Don started their young married life together in West Bend, WI where she was employed as a personal secretary to Walter Ziegler of the Ziegler Company. They moved to Hartford in 1952 to raise a family and manage their insurance and real estate business.
There they made their home and immersed themselves in the community until retiring to Mesa Arizona in 1982. In later years they became what Bernice called “snowbirds,” migrating to Arizona for winters and returning to Hartford with the spring. Though they relished the warm winters and many friends in Arizona, Hartford was always the place they called home.
Bernice’s most treasured moments were raising her babies and times shared with her dear friends. Bernice was a vibrant, active and very social woman that enjoyed reading, book club, band concerts, dancing, Elderhostels, bridge, walking, travel, boating and camping trips, and all forms of art and culture.
Bernice was involved in organizations with her husband as well as her own. She was a den mother, girl scout troop leader, active in the Hospital Guild where she was in charge of style shows, etc., active in the liturgy committee of her church, the United Fund where she won an award for her outstanding service, she was an original founder of a play acting club called “The Hamsters” and put on several plays with Broadway scripts, she was very involved in campaigning for the republican party, and she volunteered comforting babies in shelters in Arizona.
After raising her children she worked for several years in the library of the Hartford High School. She always kept a full calendar of outings and events she looked forward to. Bernice is survived by her children, Mary Beth, Edward (Caryn), Monica, and Thomas; grandchildren, Kelsey, Rachel, and Alex Odgers; and great grandchild, Karsyn Odgers; her sister, Carole Sauer; and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Don in 2007; her brothers, John, Herman and Philip Casper; and sister, Elaine Dille. A memorial service will take place at a date to be announced.
Bernice requested that memorial contributions be made to:
-Schauer Arts Center of Hartford, 147 N. Rural Street, Hartford, WI 53027
-Jesus Our Shepherd Church, 7490 County WW, West Bend WI 53090
-Milwaukee Public Television, 1036 N. 8th Street, 4th Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53233