Carol R. Cerny

Carol Rose (Neuhalfen) Cerny, age 87, passed peacefully January 13, 2024 surrounded by family and fortified by the Sacraments, prayers and blessings of the Catholic Church.  Carol was born May 19, 1936 to Veronica Elizabeth (Gubbels) Neuhalfen  and Anthony John Neuhalfen in Hartington, Nebraska.

Carol spent her youth in the farming communities of Hartington and Randolph, Nebraska.  Nicknamed “Rosie the Riveter” by her father, Carol worked heartily  to keep up with her older brothers on the farm and prove she was a worthy competitor in their baseball games.  She attended elementary school at Mayflower school in Cedar County, NE. She moved away from home to attend high school and graduated from St. Francis Catholic High School in Randolph, NE in 1954. After high school she worked for the FBI in Washington DC searching criminal fingerprints. Her next move was to Dayton, OH, where she worked for Ohio Bell Telephone Company. She transferred to Omaha, NE in 1957 with Bell Telephone Company. She enjoyed playing softball on lady’s leagues and was an avid dancer in the 50’s. It’s no surprise that she met her future husband Bill at a dance.  Carol and Bill were married in Laurel, NE on October 25, 1958.  Bill’s career in the Marine Corps kept their growing family moving all across the United States: Nebraska, Virginia, California, North Carolina, Texas, and Louisiana before retiring to St. Marys, Kansas in 1979. They enjoyed 63 years together, traveled coast to coast and had seven children.

During Bill’s military years, Carol would prepare and host dinners for USMC Officers and Ambassadors in their home.  Carol inherited her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit and became an Amway distributor, serving family and friends for decades.  She provided catechetical instruction to children preparing to receive the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation in many of the states where they lived. Carol cherished her Catholic Faith above all else and sought to keep her family in parishes that honored the Traditional Latin Mass, which ultimately prompted the move of the family to St. Marys, KS. While living in St. Marys, Carol devoted her energies to the support and growth of St. Marys Academy and College. Carol served as President of the League of the Sacred Heart at Assumption Chapel at St. Mary’s KS for 28 years. She dedicated her life through a Total Consecration to Jesus through the Blessed Mother and she made her profession in the 3rd Order of the Society of St. Pius the X on December 8, 1982 as Philomena Theresa.  

She enjoyed sewing for herself and others, namely for the Dominican Sisters, completing 97 habits for the congregation. She also extended her sewing skills making hundreds of brown scapulars for the missions in Poland, and both the brown and 5-fold scapulars for various religious and the faithful around the world.  She worked tirelessly in organizing and assisting at bake sales, rummage sales, Christmas baskets for the needy, parish festivals, making and selling jellies, and managing the Hospitality Room for Sunday Donuts, Wednesday Bingos and other events throughout the years.  On top of all that, she somehow found the time to sew white curtains for each and every window on the St. Mary's Academy and College campus - in the hundreds!

At home, Carol’s joys included gardening and raising white rabbits. Anything that could be done outside grabbed her interest. She especially enjoyed visits from her children and their growing families. She will be missed and cherished in the hearts of many.

Carol is survived by her children, William Cerny Jr. of San Diego, CA, Gregory (Amy) Cerny of St. Marys, KS, Celine (Mark) Long of Owasso, OK, Sr. Teresa Joseph, O.P. Dominican Sisters of Wanganui, New Zealand, Angela (Mark) Matteson of St. Louis, MO, Michael (Bernadine) Cerny of Kansas City, KS, Catherine (Aaron) Swehla of Aurora, CO; thirty-two grandchildren; twenty-eight great grandchildren; sisters Edna Molina, Alice Prosser; brothers Jerome (Barbara) Neuhalfen and Vincent Neuhalfen; brother-in-law Clement Cerny; numerous nieces and nephews.  Carol is preceded in death by her husband, William Cerny; parents Veronica and Anthony Neuhalfen; siblings Sr. Celine Neuhalfen, Vernon Neuhalfen, Daniel Neuhalfen, Orville Neuhalfen, Roy Neuhalfen, William Neuhalfen and grandchildren Thomas Cerny and Anastasia Cerny.

Visitation will be held at Piper Funeral Home, St. Marys, KS on Jan 17th from 2-4pm.  Rosary will be prayed at the Immaculata Church at 5:20pm.  Sung Requiem Mass will be offered at 9:30 am Thursday, January 18,2024 at the Immaculata Church with interment to follow in Our Lady of Peace Cemetery, St. Marys.  A parish a potluck reception will follow the burial in St. Joseph's Hall.  The Mass will be livestreamed and can be viewed by clicking the following link at the time of the service.  Click to view the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for memorial contributions to be made to The League of the Sacred Heart  in memory of Mrs. Cerny.  

The Requiem Mass may be watched live by going to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IIv-hLTyE.