BERTHA KATHERINE WALBERG

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BERTHA KATHERINE WALBERG On Saturday evening, March 4, 2000, Bertha Katherine Walberg passed away peacefully, with family members present, at the Convalescent Home of Winnipeg. Surviving are daughter Alma Pippy (Bruce) and their son Gordon of Winnipeg; son Gordon (Ruth) of Saskatoon, their daughter Carol Walburn (Zachary Douglas) and their children, Matthew and Sylvia of Regina; and second daughter Sylvia Countryman (Glenn) and their twins, Evan and Will of Sooke, BC; sisters-in-law, Gerry Walberg of Winnipeg and Zella Wilson of Sudbury; many nieces and nephews, and their families. Her husband Einar died in 1966. He was a second cousin whom she married in 1924. She was also predeceased by her father in 1911 and her mother in 1971; and by brothers, Edwin (Louise) Wallberg and Walter Walberg, half-brother John Wilson, step-brother William (Edna) Tough; and sisters, Anna (Conrad) Ingebrigtsen and Eveline (Allan) Pearce. Bertha was born on March 24, 1903 in Farila, Sweden, Einar was also born in Farila. Bertha was the eldest child of Per and Anna Wallberg and the only one of their children born in Sweden. Fourteen months later the trio sailed for Canada on the "Tunision", settling in Garson, MB. The family moved to Winnipeg in 1914. She served as a Licensed Practical Nurse at the Winnipeg General Hospital during the Second World War and at the King George Hospital during the polio epidemic of the 1950s. Bertha was a member of St. Marks Lutheran Church and active in the Manitoba Historical Society. She had a love of music, books and art. For a number of years she enjoyed drawing and painting. Bertha maintained close ties with the local Swedish community. She remained fluent in Swedish and visited the land of her birth four times. The thrill of her life was meeting and conversing with the King and Queen of Sweden when they visited Winnipeg. Her home was the site of many gatherings for family and friends, a tradition maintained by her daughter Alma. Bertha was a resident of the Convalescent Home of Winnipeg for the past ten years. The family wishes to thank the staff for their kind and thoughtful care. A special thank you is also given to Berthas nieces, Vivian Turenne and Eileen Zikman for their unstinting support. A funeral service will be held on Friday, March 10 at St. Marks Lutheran Church, 600 Cambridge St., at 1:30 p.m., with Pastor Rick Sauer officiating. Interment at Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Marks Lutheran Church Memorial Funds, 600 Cambridge St., Winnipeg, MB R3M 3G9, or the Convalescent Home of Winnipeg, 276 Hugo St. N., Winnipeg, MB R3M 2N6. NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200 www.nbardal.mb.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 09, 2000