Alice Bertsch, 87, Eureka, SD, died peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at the Avera Eureka Healthcare Center. Her funeral service will be 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, 2022, at the Venturia Baptist Church, Venturia, ND, with Pastor Patrick Russell leading the service. Interment follows at the Bertsch Baptist Cemetery near the Bertsch Family Farm, rural Eureka. Organist will be Pam Schnabel and the congregation will sing “”Precious Lord, Take My Hand”, “Just a Closer Walk With Thee”, and “Amazing Grace”.  Patty Miller and Sandy Hammarsten will sing “In the Garden” and usher will be Donovan Bender.

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at Lien-Straub Funeral Chapel in Eureka.

Alice’s funeral will be livestreamed on the Lien Family Funeral Care Facebook page and be available Saturday night at this website.

Alice Elsie Lindemann was born on October 27, 1934, near Artas, SD to Berthold and Leah (Sieler) Lindemann. Alice attended rural school and graduated from Eureka High School in 1953. She also attended Northern State Teachers College, earning an elementary school certificate to teach the first grade in the mid-1950s. She married Jerome G. Bertsch on June 3, 1956, at the First Baptist Church in Eureka. In 1964, they moved to Jerome’s family farm a mile south of the state line, where they would raise their four beautiful boys. Together, Jerome and Alice operated a dairy farm for 50 years until 1997. Their youngest son Joel took over the family farm, allowing Jerome and Alice to move into town in October 1997. Alice worked in the kitchen for Eureka Public School while Jerome drove the school bus. She also worked cleaning jobs at the hotel and hospital, eventually retiring in 2009. Jerome died on March 16, 2009. A devoted and faithful couple, Jerome and Alice were members of the Venturia Baptist Church for many decades, and Alice a member of the Ladies’ Ministry.

Alice thoroughly enjoyed spoiling and spending time with her 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, teaching them the importance of being kind, following in Christ, and how to bake a delicious cake. When she wasn’t busy wrangling one of her many grandchildren, she could be found tending to her large, bountiful garden or sewing a beautiful new blanket or piece of clothing.

In 2011, Alice was diagnosed with Dementia and moved to Avera Eureka Healthcare Center, where she lived the remainder of her life. Even though the effects of Dementia heavily impacted Alice’s memory, she always knew in her heart when her family was visiting, and never stopped smiling even after they left.

Alice is survived by her four sons: Monte, his wife Cindy of Hermosa, SD; Gary, his wife Marjorie of Marshall, MN; John, his wife Jenny of Thornton, CO; and Joel, his wife Deanne of Eureka. She is also survived by her sister, Florence Haberer, of Sioux Falls, SD.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Jerome, her mother Leah, her father Berthold, her stepfather Edward Quenzer, her brothers Oscar, Harvey and Ronnie, daughter-in-law Susan, and a great-grandson Kaison.

Honorary bearers will be grandchildren: Alexis Moore of Lacey, WA; Nichole Bertsch of Fredrick, CO; Natasha Rice and Chris Bolin of Thornton; Sara Mayer of Sioux Falls; and Sydney Bertsch and Shelby Bertsch of Eureka.

Casketbearers will be Adam Bertsch, Tony Bertsch, and Dexter Bertsch of Rapid City, SD; Christopher Bertsch of Aberdeen, SD; Jared Bertsch of Denver, CO; and Jesse Bertsch of Whitewood, SD.

Services are in care of Lien-Straub Funeral Chapel, Eureka.

 

1. Add to favourites
2. Report abuse