Betty Kadera

BETTY M. (CROWN) KADERA

Cedar Rapids

Betty M. (Crown) Kadera, 93, of Onalaska, Wis., formerly of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, died peacefully Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, at her daughter's home surrounded by family. Visitation: 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 520 Wilson Ave., Cedar Rapids. Funeral services: 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at Echo Hill Presbyterian Church, 9000 C Ave. NE, Marion, with visitation one hour prior to service time. The Rev. Nathan Williams will officiate. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Betty is survived by one daughter, Barbara (Dale) Bates of Onalaska; three sons, Dave (Karolyn) Dorchester, Steve of Whitehall, Wis., and Tim of Cedar Rapids; two daughters-in-law; a half brother, Robert Crown of Waukesha, Wis.; 17 grandchildren; and 36 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ed; her parents; one sister; two sons, Donald and Michael; two grandsons; and one great-grandchild.

Betty was born May 15, 1923, in Waterloo, Iowa, to Dale and Jennie (Reside) Crown. She married Edward D. Kadera on Jan. 31, 1942, at Sacred Heart Church in Waterloo. They spent 72 years together until Ed's death in 2014. They lived in Waterloo except for a time in California, while Ed was in the Navy. They returned to Waterloo after Ed's discharge in December 1945. There, they raised their six children. In 1963, the family moved to Cedar Rapids for Ed's work. Betty continued to be a stay-at-home-mom until her youngest child was in high school. She then worked in the insurance department at family practice at Mercy Hospital. When Ed retired in 1985, they traveled with their fifth wheel throughout the U.S., including a summer trip to Alaska with a caravan of other campers. Because of Ed's declining health, they moved to Onalaska, Wis., in August 2009, to be near their daughter.

Betty was an excellent homemaker and cook. She sewed and knitted for herself and her grandchildren, even making beautiful neckties for Ed. Betty was also very active in her church, in ministry and service. Moving from Cedar Rapids to Onalaska was hard, but she made many new friends at Ona Terrace. She enjoyed many activities and social events.

Please share a memory of Betty at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

Memorials may be given to the Iowa Department for the Blind, 524 Fourth St., Des Moines, IA 50309.