Bertha E. Goettler

Bertha Goettler, 102, of Bellevue, Iowa passed away at Mill Valley Care Center in Bellevue. A funeral service for Bertha will be held at 10:30, Friday, February 16, at St. John Lutheran Church. A visitation will be held, Thursday evening from 5:00 - 7:00pm at Hachmann Funeral Home & Cremation Service, in Bellevue and again Friday morning from 9:30 10:00am at the church.Bertha was born in Waco, Nebraska on March 15th, 1915. She moved with her parents and siblings to Illinois a few years later where she spent her early years. She graduated Cissna Park High School and attended nurses training in Sioux City, Iowa where she received her RN degree. She worked as a nurse in California, Iowa and Illinois. She met her husband William in Chicago where they were married and lived for several years before moving to Iowa. Bertha worked both as a private duty and floor nurse at Finley Hospital in Dubuque and Jackson County Hospital in Maquoketa where she became the medical floor supervisor. After retirement, she and William traveled in Europe and the Middle East. She and William also traveled in the U.S. and Canada on extensive camping trips. In later years, Bertha again traveled to Europe with a tour group and later a safari trip to South Africa. She loved photography and captured many outstanding pictures on her travels. Bertha spent many hours in her flower garden, delighting in the admiring comments from Bellevue residents who walked by her yard in the spring and summer. She was active in Church and community activities one of which was her participation in the Butterfly Garden at Bellevue State Park.At Mill Valley Care Center, where she resided most recently, she took up painting and knitting. Bertha has completed her earthly mission and joined her Lord and Savior and is now with her departed family members and friends in heaven.Her survivors include her son William (Mary Ann) Goettler, daughter Judith (David) Krause, grandchildren Jennifer (John) Beckman, Jon (Jenn) Goettler, Drew (Leslie-Sanchez) Goettler, step granddaughters Rachelle (Brent) Sharrer, Aysha (Rob) Hall, and step grandson Charles (Kayte) Emery. Great grandchildren Jameson and William Beckman, Ethan and Evan Goettler, Jordan and Sophia Goettler, Ben, Nick and Kate Sharrer, Graycen and Emma Hall, and Morgan and Corwin Emery. Niece Karen Niebuhr and nephew Norman Taylor.She was preceded in death by her father Christian Koester, her mother Eliza (Hoppman) Koester and five siblings. Her husband William preceded her in 1989.The family extends a special thank-you to Mill Valley Care Center and Jackson County Hospice.Memorials may be made to Bremwood Residential Treatment, Waverly, Iowa and the American Cancer Society.