Bernice "Bee" J. Klawiter

Bernice “Bee” Klawiter (Fortuna), 86, passed on April 23, 2026, surrounded by her children at Just Like Home in Chetek. She saw countless visitors and felt so much love. Bee’s visitation will be held at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Strickland starting at 11 am on Friday, May 8, 2026, located at W16431 Old Hwy 14, Rice Lake, WI. A full Catholic service will follow at 1 pm with a luncheon provided following services. A private family burial will be held the following day. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The American Cancer Society, your local Humane Society, or Just Like Home located in Chetek, WI in memory of Bee.

Bee was known for her kitchen prowess and love of all creatures. Some favorites of her family’s were her chicken noodle soup with dumplings, chili, and nearly world famous (to us) rum cake and caramel popcorn. She loved feeding anyone who walked through her door, regardless of their number of legs. Bee also loved to travel, whether across the U.S., North America as a whole, or to her family’s ancestral homeland of Poland, she did it all. Bee fought cancer for 30 years. She was truly a fighter through and through, never knowing how to quit.

Bee was preceded in death by her parents, James and Eleanore (Loda) Fortuna, brother Richard “Dick” Fortuna, and sister Marjorie “Marge” (Daniel) Schmidtbauer. She is survived by her husband Eugene Klawiter, children Roger (Linda) Klawiter, Jerry (Suzi) Klawiter, Dee Dee (Tom) Crowley, and Tricia Grover, 13 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and brothers Ray (Carol) Fortuna, Larry (Laurie) Fortuna, and Steve (Judy) Fortuna. She is and will be deeply missed.