Obit: Cohara, Margaret Rita “Mitze” (1926 – 2021)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Cohara, Gornick, Bergant, Palm, Anderson, Schultz, Johnson, O’Gorman, Kile

----Source: Cuddie Funeral Home (Greenwood, Clark Co., WI) 6/03/2021

Cohara, Margaret Rita “Mitze” (28 May 1926 – 29 May 2021)

Margaret R. "Mitze" Cohara, 95, of Port Washington, formerly of Willard, passed away on Saturday, May 29, 2021, at Ellen's Home in Port Washington. Interment of Mitze's cremains will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 17, 2021, in the Willard Cemetery.

Margaret Rita Bergant was born on May 28, 1926, in Willard, to John Sr. and Margaret (Gornick) Bergant. She was raised on the family farm in Willard and received her education at McKinley School. After completing her education, Mitze moved to Chicago and lived with her sister, Amy. She was married to Erling Palm in 1945 and worked at a nurse's aide at Mount Sinai Hospital. Mitze and Erling later divorced, and she moved back to Willard in 1950.

She was united in marriage to Andrew E. "Andy" Cohara on June 30, 1951, in Neillsville. They farmed his family's farm, in Willard, until selling it in 1963. They remained living in Willard. Mitze worked various jobs until becoming employed as a nurse's aide at Memorial Hospital in Neillsville, where she worked until retiring in 1989 After their retirement, they enjoyed traveling out west to visit family. After her husband died on February 17, 2002, she lived in Willard until moving to an apartment in Neillsville, and then to Black Riverview Apartments in Greenwood. In 2013, Mitze moved to Saukville, and then to Grafton, in 2014 to be near her daughter, Shirley. In February 2021, she moved to Ellen's Home in Port Washington, where she resided until her death.

She had many interests, but especially loved reading, lunch and bingo at the Senior Center, coloring, gardening, and riding bicycle.

Mitze will be dearly missed by her daughters: Vicki Anderson of Wheatland, WY, Shirley (Ric) Schultz of Grafton, Becky Johnson of Wheatland, WY; 7 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Andy; one brother: John Bergant, Jr.; and 2 sisters: Amy O'Gorman and Julie Kile, her twin.