In Memory of Anita Kuznia

Anita J. Kuznia, age 83, of Fayetteville, Arkansas and formerly of Zimmerman, Minnesota, died August 20, 2024 in Fayettville.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, SEPTEMBER 6th at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Isanti.  A visitation will be held 1 1/2 hours prior to the service with a Rosary starting at 9:30 A.M.  Interment will be in St. Pius X Cemetery in Zimmerman.

Anita Jane (Bouton) Kuznia was born on February 11, 1941, in Fargo, ND, to Charles and Louise (Matthys) Bouton, the third of four children. She was raised in Glyndon, MN, where she attended school and helped on the family farm, graduating from high school in 1959. Anita earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Dakota, with her training at St. Joseph’s in Minot. After graduation, she began her nursing career in Seattle, WA. While in Seattle, Anita married Rudy Kuznia on January 4, 1964. In June of that year, they moved to Huntsville, AL, to support the Apollo project, which would eventually take the first astronauts to the moon.

Their son, Charles, was born on December 10, 1964. In 1967, the family relocated to Deephaven, MN, where they welcomed their daughter, Amy, on March 24, 1971. During this time, Anita worked part-time in a clinic, allowing her to spend ample time with her children. Two years later, the family moved to a farm in Zimmerman, MN, where Anita worked at the Elim Nursing Home in Princeton, eventually becoming the Director of Nursing for many years. She also worked at the North Branch Nursing Home before retiring.

Anita enjoyed reading, swimming, cleaning the church windows, knitting hats and socks, annual fishing trips to Lake of the Woods, winemaking (creating Weshit Park Wines), making jams, and gardening. She loved trips to garden stores with Rudy, often returning with new planting projects. She also made the best pancakes known to humankind. Anita had a spicy and witty sense of humor, often directed at figures of authority. She frequently reminded us that life was meant to be enjoyed.

She is survived by her son, Charlie (Brenda) Kuznia; daughter, Amy (Kuznia) Rouse; sister, Phoebe (Bouton) Stouffer; grandchildren, Magdalene, Thomas, Henry, Phoebe, Audrey, and Rudy; along with many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Rudy Kuznia; her parents, Charles Bouton and Louise (Matthys) Bouton; her brother, John “Jack” Bouton; and her sister, Mary (Bouton) Lucca.