Evelyn R. Bertke, age 86, of Maria Stein, died on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at Mercer County Community Hospital, Coldwater. She was born July 3, 1928 in Cranberry Prairie, to the late Joseph & Mary (Evers) Hartings. On June 20, 1953, she married Louis Bertke, who died January 26, 2009. She is survived by seven children, Kenneth & Angela Bertke of Maria Stein, Barbara & Jerry Arling of Minster, David & Jane Bertke of Maria Stein, Roger & Teresa Bertke of St. Marys, Mary & Gregg Barhorst of Maria Stein, Timothy & Teresa Bertke of Minster, and Michael & Renee Bertke of Maria Stein, 26 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and brothers and sisters, Ernest & Alfrieda Hartings of Coldwater, Thelma Broerman of New Weston, Patsy Broerman of New Bremen, Lester & Dolores Hartings of St. Henry, Betty & Jack Romer of St. Henry, Linus & Carol Hartings of Coldwater and Myron & Patty Hartings of Mendon, in laws Wilbur & Anna Bertke of St. Henry, Ernest & Rita Bertke of Centerville and Norma & Norb Otting of Minster. She is preceded in death by a son, Daniel Bertke, two grandchildren, a sister, Virginia Hartings, a brother, Virgil Hartings and in-laws, Lawrence Broerman, Alfred Broerman, Euleta & Werner Bensman, Mary Ann Bertke, Leander & Alvera Bertke, Cyril & Dorothy Bertke, Dennis Bertke & Marinus Bertke. She was a member of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, Cassella, the Christian Mother's Sodality and the Catholic Knights. She was a 1946 graduate of St. Henry High School, worked in the office at New Idea, Coldwater for six years and was a homemaker. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Cassella. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 2:00 to 8:00 PM on Friday and 9:00 to 10:00 AM on Saturday at the Hogenkamp Funeral Home in St. Henry. Condolences may be left at hogenkampfh.com.
