Katherine Irene Krno

MADISON - Beloved Mother and Grandmother, Katherine Irene Krno, aged 96, died April 11, 2011 at Covenant Oaks of Oakwood Village West, Madison. Katherine was born May 29, 1914 in Brezno, Slovakia. She married Ladislav Krno in Brezno in 1938. As the wife of a diplomat, Katherine lived in Prague, Bratislava, Moscow, and Budapest. In 1945, Katherine and Ladislav moved to Chicago following his appointment as the Consul-General for Czechoslovakia. In 1948, after the communist take-over of Czechoslovakia, they requested political asylum in the United States. The couple began a new life in the Chicago suburbs of Cicero and Berwyn with their two young daughters. Katherine was active in the Czechoslovak community in Chicago. She was a long-time member of the Bohemian Women’s Civic Club of Chicago, a delegate to the Board of the Bohemian Home for the Aged, a board member of the Council of Higher Education (Matice Vyssiho Vzdelani), and a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Cicero, Illinois. In 1991, Katherine moved to Madison to be closer to family. Katherine valued the arts, regularly attending cultural events in Chicago and Madison such as concerts, theater, and the opera. She enjoyed entertaining friends and family; she will be remembered for her hospitality and exceptional culinary skills. An avid knitter and sewer, her many projects, especially her hand-made afghans and scarves, continue to be cherished. Katherine is survived by her two daughters, Catherine (George) Tesar and Jane (Roger) Bannerman, both of Madison; and two grandchildren, Eric and Julie Bannerman. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her sister. The family extends their sincere thanks and appreciation for the loving care and kindness given to Katherine by the staff of Tabor Oaks, Hospice, and especially Covenant Oaks, Katherine’s home for the past seven years. A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 16, 2011 at the Resurrection Chapel, Oakwood Village West, Madison. Visitation will be at 10 a.m., followed by the memorial service at 11 a.m. Memorials may be sent to The Oakwood Foundation, Inc. 6201 Mineral Point Road, Madison WI 53705.