Edna Cherne

Edna M. Cherne, age 88 of Freeport, died Saturday, April 21, 2012 in Melrose, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport with Rev. Roger Klassen, O.S.B. officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church in Freeport. The Christian Mothers and Goldenaires Senior Citizens will pray at 4:30 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 5 p.m. Tuesday evening at the church.

Edna Marie Hiltner was born February 20, 1924 in New Munich, Minnesota to Joseph and Josepha (Middendorf) Hiltner. She married Anthony Cherne on September 3, 1946 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Munich. The couple lived on the family farm near St. Anthony until 1988 when they retired and moved to Freeport.

She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport, Christian Mothers, Goldenaires Senior Citizen, and a member of the Young at Heart card club. Edna was a homemaker and loving mother who enjoyed quilting, gardening, embroidering, baking, and playing cards. She loved playing with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and enjoyed making them chocolate chip cookies.

Survivors include her children, Tony (Linda) Cherne of Albany, Linda (Ken) Gerads of Albany, James (Gail) Cherne of Freeport, Ione (Gerald) Heinen of Albany, Judith "Judy" Zenzen of Elrosa, Mary (Hugo) Wuertz of Spring Hill, Joan (Peter) Schmidt of Big Lake, Elaine (Ron) Ritter of Freeport, and Eileen (Gary) Middendorf of Melrose; 31 grandchildren and 34 7/8 great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Marie Vos of Albany, Louise Loxterkamp of Swanville, Louis Hiltner of Sauk Centre, Ervin Hiltner of Elk River, Doris Schneider of Rockville, Vernon Hiltner of Shakopee, Jane Fuchs of Elrosa, and John Hiltner of California;

Edna was preceded in death by her husband, Anthony Cherne on March 7, 2009; parents; brothers, Joseph Hiltner, Jr. and George Hiltner; great-grandson, Brandon Michael Boyd; and son-in-law, Donald Zenzen.

Serving as casket bearers will be Jen Payment, Tanya Knutson, Craig Wuertz, Rick Ritter, Suzie Beuning, Shaun Zenzen, Ember Schmitz and John Reimann. Cross bearer will be Tammy Lieser and scripture bearer will be Becky Reimann. Honorary bearers will be all of Edna's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The lectors will be Russell Cherne and Becky Reimann and the petitions will be read by Jason Schmidt, Justin Middendorf, Glenn Gerads, and Jesse Heinen. The eulogy will be read by Jason Schmidt and the gift bearers will be Paige Thielen and Michaela Payment. The mass server will be Norb Overmann.