Monday, June 10th, 2013
Rita Bertke
Rita E. Bertke, 81, New Bremen, died at 1:45 a.m. June 8, 2013, at her residence.
She was born March 5, 1932, in Minster, to Joseph H. and Rosa Schmitmeyer Enneking. On Sept. 14, 1954, she married Lewis J. Bertke, who survives near New Bremen.
Also surviving are her children, Ronald Bertke of New Bremen, Diane (Myron) Gaier of Fort Loramie, Linda (Raymond) Stone of Celina, Roxanne Docter of Powell, Roseanne (Terry) Hartzog of Lima, John (Maribel) Bertke of Hilliard, Bernice (Cletus) Bulcher of Fort Loramie, Sandra (Ted) Rector of Columbus, Kevin (Pam) Bertke of Bucyrus, Carl (Andrea) Bertke of Amherst and Daniel (April) Bertke of Wadsworth; 23 grandchildren; seven stepgrandchildren; and one great-grandchild; siblings, Mary Lou (Urban) Seger of Minster, Joseph Enneking of Sidney, Robert (Mary Jo) Enneking of Sidney, Dolores (Douglas) Latham of Piqua and David (Mary Jo) Enneking of Troy; in-laws, John Schmiesing of Minster, Carolyn Enneking of Minster, Omer (Rita M.) Bertke of Maria Stein, Jovita Osterloh of Rossburg, Stanley (Betty) Bertke of Maria Stein, Urban (Dorothy) Bertke of New Bremen and Sr. Martha Bertke of Celina.
Preceding her in death was her son, Eugene Bertke; her sister Alice Schmiesing; a brother, James Enneking; and her in-laws, Elma Enneking and Othmar Osterloh.
She was a member of the Church of the Holy Redeemer in New Bremen. She was a member of the Maria Stein Prayer Guild, the Maria Stein Knights of St. Johns 288 Auxiliary and its drill team. She was also a member of the New Bremen American Legion Post 241 Auxiliary and the New Bremen Senior Citizens. She was a homemaker.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of the Holy Redeemer, New Bremen, the Rev. Thomas Mannebach and Rev. Greg Bornhorst officiating. Burial will be at the German Protestant Cemetery in New Bremen.
Calling is 2-8 p.m. Tuesday at Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home in New Bremen, and 9:30-10 a.m. Wednesday at the church, at which time the Rosary will be prayed.
Memorials may be given to the Maria Stein Relic Chapel.
Condolences may be left at gilberghartwigfh.com.
