Bertilla Barthel

Bertilla “Bert” B. Barthel, 89, of Waukon died Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Monday, October 8 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. A private burial will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of services Monday, October 8 at the church.

Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is assisting the family. Memorials can be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church or the Good Samaritan Center, both in Waukon.

Bertilla “Bert” Beatrice Barthel was born November 20, 1928 in Paynesville, MN, the daughter of Nick and Julia (Yaeger) Lutgen. She grew up in the Paynesville area and, after she finished school, worked as a telephone operator.

June 9, 1951, Bert married Vernon B. Barthel at the Catholic church in Paynesville, MN. Bert was a busy homemaker, raising five kids, as the family moved around the Midwest frequently due to Vernon’s job.

For the past 14 years, she lived in Waukon, which was the longest she stayed in one place. After her children grew up, Bert then spent a lot of time babysitting her grandchildren and also volunteered in Waukon at Veterans Memorial Hospital, St. Patrick Catholic Church and the Good Samaritan Center.

Bert was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church and the VFW Auxiliary. She liked gardening, canning and sewing. Bert also enjoyed cooking and baking, especially cookies and pies, and was always preparing something to take to the church and nursing home, to a funeral, or to a sick friend. Bert always had a positive attitude and always saw the silver lining in everything. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be greatly missed.

She is survived by her five children: Wayne (Nancy) Barthel of St. Michael, MN, Larry (Lin) Barthel of Waterville, Sharon (Jim) Povlich of Pewaukee, WI, Ron (Anna) Barthel of Marble Falls, TX and Karen (John) Nutt of Alexandria, VA; her foster son, Dave Busch of Lena, IL; 17 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Gerald Barthel of Monticello, MN and Ervin “Bud” Meyer of Naples, FL; and a sister-in-law, Yvonne Kalmus of Manville, TX.

Bert was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Vernon, in 1998; and her seven siblings: Zita, Cyril, Cornelia, DeLore, Corrine, Stanley and Laura.

The family would like to thank the amazing staff at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon for their loving care and support during Bert’s short illness.

Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.