ELVA JOYCE BERTSCH

1926 ~ ELVA JOYCE BERTSCH ~ 2023
Our Mother, Elva Joyce Bertsch began her journey to Heaven in the early morning hours of January 03, 2023 passing away at The Haven of Rest in Medicine Hat, Alberta at the Grand Age of 96 years, the beloved wife of the late Elmer Bertsch. Cherishing her memory are her dearly loved children, Stan (Erika) Bertsch of Edmonton AB, Louise (Ivan) Schlaht of Bindloss AB, Murray (Cindy) Bertsch of Medicine hat AB. Also cherishing are her Beloved Grandchildren, Jennifer (Susan) Bertsch, David (Candace Henry) Bertsch, and Lexie (Vincent) Lalli; Tara (Jeremy Good) and Telisha (Mike Ftichar) Schlaht; Evan (Allison) Bertsch and Andrea (Shane) Bennett; Darling Great Grandchildren, Luca and Cora Bertsch, Mihayla, Rowenna & Tavynn Schlaht, Paisley & Kinsley Good, Rylee & Hattie Ftichar; Merek & Raya Bertsch, Ethan & Blayke Bennett. Elva is also survived by one sister, Amy Brusky and a sister-in-law, Ramona Bertsch; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. Elva was born to Louis & Winnie (Fenton) Western on September 16th, 1926 at Maple Creek, Sask and raised on the farm in the Richmound, Sask area. She taught school at Green Corn and Horsham from 1946 to 1950. Wedding bells rang for Elva on September 28th, 1949 when she married Elmer Bertsch in Medicine Hat. Following a short honeymoon to Banff, they made their home on the Bertsch Farm near Horsham, Sask. Besides being a wife and mother, Elva wore may hats during her life on the farm. Taught school, milked cows, raised chickens ducks, geese, turkeys, pigs and a great joy of hers was welcoming the baby calves in the spring, truck driver at harvest, grew an impressive vegetable garden. She also liked doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, knitting, sewing and embroidering, She never waivered at her responsibilities and her memory was outstanding right to the end. She welcomed her Grandchildren and the Greats as they came along and shared her years of wisdom with them. In October of 1986, they retired to Medicine Hat. Elva continued her gardening skills and also published a history of the Fenton side and wrote family histories of the Western and Bertsch’s. Elva bought a computer to compile these histories. She enjoyed and relived many events by keeping all the photo albums up to date and that resulted in album after album filled with history. A thrill of her lifetime was when she accompanied Stan, Erika & family on a trip to Disneyland in 1990. It was her first airplane ride and first trip out of Canada. When her house and yard became too much for her, she moved to the Wellington in 2007 and from there to the Haven of rest in January of 2020. Mom spent almost three years there amidst the Covid Pandemic. Our family thanks everyone there for looking after her. Many of the care workers stopped to chat with her. They always asked her to come join the session “Remember When”? as she had some interesting stories of her childhood. Elva was pre-deceased by her parents, Louis & Winnie Western; husband, Elmer (2008); granddaughter, Tanya Schlaht (2011); brother, Donald Western (2012) and sister- in- law Joyce Western (2008); niece, Karen Western (2006); brother-in-law, Floyd Brusky (2017); nephew, Doug Western (2019). In one of her last emails, as she knew her time was coming near, she wrote, “LOVE & BLESSINGS AND MAY THE FUTURE HOLD MANY TREASURES FOR ALL OF YOU”
LOVE MOM
The Memorial Service will be held at Saamis Memorial Funeral Chapel, 1 Dunmore Road SE, Medicine Hat, AB on Saturday, January 7th, 2023 at 3:30 pm. If unable to attend, family and friends are welcome to participate via livestream by logging on to www.saamis.com and joining the live webcast on Elva’s memorial page at the above date and time. A virtual guest book is available on the livestream page for those participating remotely. Condolences may be sent to condolences@saamis.com subject heading Elva Bertsch. Funeral arrangements by

SAAMIS MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL CREMATORIUM & RECEPTION CENTRE, “The Chapel in the Park #1 Dunmore Road SE, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 1Z5 (403)528-2599 www.saamis.com inquiry@saamis.com Locally owned and directed CGR Holdings Ltd.