Mary Kuzdas

Our dear Mary, age 81, left this life peacefully on April 19, 2026 at Sage Meadow Memory Care Facility in Middleton, WI.

Mary Kuzdas was born Mary Kathleen Gensmer on July 5, 1944 to Alvin and Kathleen Gensmer in Horicon, WI, and was the oldest of seven children. As the oldest child, she did an excellent job training her parents and helping with her younger siblings. After roller skating, dancing and babysitting her way through her teens, Mary graduated from Horicon High School, in 1962.

Mary worked for 42 years before retiring in 2004. She began her work life in Wisconsin then spent a few years living and working in Washington State and Idaho. She returned to Wisconsin and was employed over the years for Kraft Foods, West Bend Company, Ray-O-Vac and PDQ Convenience Stores. In 1998 she landed a position with the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the records section and enjoyed every day of her six years there until her retirement.

In 1980, after the 1975 death of her husband Joe Forkner, Mary met the love of her life, Kevin Kuzdas. In just one week they became an inseparable couple and married in 1981. Over their 45 years together they built a beautiful life in Middleton amongst many wonderful friends. When they weren’t at home planting and harvesting their extensive garden, tending the fruit trees, or loving their succession of dogs (oh, those lucky dogs), they traveled throughout the United States and Canada.

Mary loved to garden, bake, and create beautiful needlework. She made a delicious apple pie (with her own apples, of course), and her friends and family are convinced she made the best pie crust in North America. We will always hold fond memories of those world-class pies! A day at Olbrich Gardens and an evening folk concert enjoyed with friends were some of Mary’s favorite pastimes.

Mary also enjoyed filling her house with the laughter of her younger siblings. Then when the nieces and nephews started arriving, Aunt Mary was always up for a day at Great America, a road trip, or even just a ride for the biggest ice cream cone the kids could hold.

But Mary was much more than a quiet keeper of family, hearth and home. When she needed to satisfy an itch for adventure, Mary would hop a solo flight to Japan to spend two weeks with a niece, or to the Czech Republic to tour Eastern Europe with her sister, or to Washington, D.C. to meet and care for her newborn nephew. In 2012, Mary coerced her 88-year-old Mom into an epic cross-country road trip to visit family in Utah, Colorado, Indiana, Missouri, and Florida, driving almost 8,000 miles and visiting dozens of far-flung relatives.

Mary is survived by her husband of 44 years Kevin Kuzdas, her siblings Ann Peters, Sue Marquardt (Paul), Sandy Rossing (Eugene), Heidi Lueck, sisters-in-law Linda Gensmer, Kim Klapprott (Keith), Kellie Kuzdas (Kurt Kobelt), Mary Lou Kuzdas, brothers-in-law Greg Miller, Dan Kuzdas (Linda), and lifelong friend Rosie Weber. She is preceded in death by her parents, her father-in-law Charles Kuzdas, mother-in-law Nonavee Kuzdas, brother Richard Gensmer, sister Debra Miller, and brothers-in-law Barry Lueck, Tommy Kuzdas, and John Kuzdas.

Mary’s heart was as big as her smile, creating warm memories of generosity and joy for those who knew her. Thank you, Mary, for loving us so well.