Hazel F. Schend passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 with her children at her side.  She was born on January 28, 1930, in Holy Cross, Iowa, the second youngest of 14 siblings of John P. and Florence B. (Roe) Heidersheit.  In the late 1930's the family moved to Dubuque, IA.

She earned her BSN degree in 1951 from St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, Dubuque.  On July 21, 1951, she married William F. Schend at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Dubuque.  A devout Catholic, her faith was an important part of her daily living.

In 1955 the family moved to Kenosha, where she was employed as an RN at the old St. Catherine's Hospital. Following the birth of her 3rd child, she became a full-time homemaker. Once her children were older, she worked in the family insurance agency in Uptown Kenosha, retiring in 2009.

Later in life she found new joy playing the button box, an accordion-like instrument with only buttons, no keys!  Additionally, she and her husband Bill loved to dance and traveled the Midwest attending polka festivals.

Several polka bands took notice of their dancing and learned of her button-box talent.  This led to impromptu guest performances on-stage with the bands!  A notable performance with the Vern Meisner Band at the 1995 Frankenmuth Summer Music Fest is memorialized on YouTube.

She is survived by her children, Stephen, David and Luann (Philip) LaParne; her sister, Rosemary (John) Winner and numerous nephews and nieces especially Peggy, Tina and great-niece Amanda.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William; her brothers, John (Mildred), Harold (Josephine), Frank (Bernice), Charles M. (killed in action 1945), Leonard (Phyllis), Leo (Kay) and sisters, Agnes (Clarence) Klass, Dorothy (Arnold) Crawford, Virginia (Merlin) Saylor, Janette (Donald) Dunne, Julia (Richard) Simon, Clara (Gerald) Dolter and Norma (Roger) Wagner.

She was a member of St. Anthony's Rosary Society, The Wisconsin Polka Boosters, a Charter Member of the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame and a longtime member of the Kenosha Moose Lodge.

Sincere appreciation to Willowbrook Assisted Living and Hospice Alliance of SE Wisconsin.

Service Info

Funeral services and honors by the Wisconsin Nurses Honor Guard will be held on Friday, May 31, 2024.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 5100 22^nd Ave.

Interment will follow in St. George Cemetery.

A visitation for Hazel will be held on Friday, May 31, 2024 from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the Mass at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Alzheimer’s Association, https://act.alz.org/.