Gertrude Bresina

Gertrude (Gertie) A. Bresina, 97, of Tilden, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family, on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

Born in Bloomer on July 18, 1928, to Joseph and Ottilia (Ruff) Koehler, Gertie married Thomas Bresina on February 17, 1947, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Bloomer. Together they raised eleven children while operating several local businesses, including Bresina’s Meat Market, Q and B Tavern, the Country Villa, and the Villa Motel.

Throughout her life, Gertie worked at various jobs, from setting bowling pins and waitressing to cooking and serving at the Northern Center. Yet her greatest devotion was to her family. From the early years of raising babies through the adulthood of her children and grandchildren, she offered her love, faith, and wisdom with quiet strength, always placing others before herself. She found joy in gardening, carefully growing plants from seed and generously sharing both seedlings and produce with every visitor. She also delighted in card games and jigsaw puzzles.

Gertie’s Catholic faith anchored her life. She prayed the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy daily, attended Mass weekly at St. Peter’s in Tilden, and faithfully participated in the Monday evening Novena. Her strong work ethic, humble spirit, and open door made her a steady source of encouragement and comfort to all who knew her. She listened with genuine interest to the lives of her children and grandchildren, celebrated their joys, offered support in their struggles, and prayed for each of them by name.

She is survived by her children: sons Thomas Jr., Jim (Nadine), and Douglas (Karen), all of Tilden; daughters Barb (Wayne) Bowe of Tilden, Diane (Mark) Kuba of Bloomer, Mary (Scott) Stevens of Burnsville, Minnesota, and Pam (Wayne) Franz of Chippewa Falls; sons-in-law Dan Schemenauer and Tom Fliehr; one brother, Joseph Koehler of Bloomer; thirty grandchildren, forty-eight great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Bresina Sr.; son Daniel Bresina; daughters Karen Schemenauer, Jeanne Fliehr, and Nancy Swoboda; daughter-in-law Anne Bresina; grandson Kevin Swoboda; grandson-in-law Justin Gilbertson; her parents; five sisters; and five brothers.