Bertha O. Richert

Bertha O. Richert passed away peacefully on March 12, 2011, and will be greatly missed by her family and many friends. Bertha was born to John and Karen (Halsebo) Strand on June 1, 1915 at Sharon, North Dakota. She was the sixth child in a family of seven sisters and one brother. Her parents were young immigrants from Norway when they met and settled on the farm where Bertha grew up. After graduating from Sharon High School, Bertha attended the Mayville University and became a teacher and taught at Binford, North Dakota. After the death of her parents she, along with several members of her family, moved to Wenatchee, Washington, where she attended the Western College of Commerce, which led to a job at the Boy Scout office for seven years. Later she worked at the Chamber of Commerce and then H. S. Denison Company. In 1962 she married Henry Richert in the Grace Lutheran Church and they began a wonderful life together, residing in Waterville, Washington. They both enjoyed traveling and had many memories of the places they visited and interesting people they met. Bertha took part in many church activities at United Lutheran Church, as well as other community and social events. She was also an avid golfer. Bertha was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Henry, sisters Anna and Jennie Strand, Dagny Tinkey, Agnes Watne, Lilly Froslie, Genevieve Jett, and brother Ralph Strand. Survivors include niece Marilyn Bell and E. S. Bell of Anacortes, WA, nephews Robert Tinkey of Camas, WA, and Lee Watne of Cooperstown, ND, as well as several grand nephews and nieces and numerous cousins and friends. Additional survivors are Marie Nesbit of Olympia (sister-in-law); nephews David (Dee) Willms (Jamul, CA), Kenneth (Nancy) Willms, Melvin Willms, Norman (Bobby Ann) Willms, and Alan (Amy) Willms, all of Waterville; Steve Kager of Seattle, Keith (Pam) Kager of Spokane and Steve (Margo) Richert of Chehalis; and nieces Katy Warner and Patricia and Susan Richert of Seattle. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 17th, at 11:00 a.m., at United Lutheran Church in Waterville. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 16th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Waterville Funeral home. Memorials may be made to the United Lutheran Church Endowment Fund or the Waterville Ambulance. Please express your thoughts and memories on the online guestbook at jonesjonesbetts.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Waterville Funeral Home.

Tributes

Bertha O. Richert

June 1, 1915 - March 12, 2011