Funeral services for Bertha Swanson Carlson, 88, of Cherokee, IA, formerly of Aurelia, IA, and Alta, IA, will be 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, October 22, 2014, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee, with Pastor Jean Morse officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday from 10:00 A.M. until service time at the church. Burial will be at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia. The Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of arrangements.
Bertha Elizabeth Gesy was born on June 6, 1926, the daughter of Fred and Bertha (Whitesitt) Gesy in Fonda, IA. She graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Fonda, and then attended and graduated from the American School of Beauty in Des Moines. On June 6, 1946, Bertha was united in marriage to Sven Albert Swanson in Fonda, IA. This union was blessed with four children. They farmed in the Aurelia area. Albert died December 9, 1978. On September 3, 1994, Bertha married Harry Clifford Carlson at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee. They lived in Aurelia. Harry died April 24, 2002. She was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church where she was active in church circles, made many banners, baptism blankets, and was a mentor for confirmands. She was a past president of the PTA, and was active in Music Boosters and all school activities, and Cub Scouts. Bertha was a member of “Just a Club” and 500 Club. She enjoyed square dancing, traveling with Harry, camping and fishing, seamstress work, quilting and giving many away, scrapbooking, teaching tole painting classes, was active in Relay for Life, and she owned a craft supply store in Cherokee. Bertha was noted for her Swedish rye bread, pumpkin chiffon dessert, and her Swedish meatballs. Bertha’s greatist joy was spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Bertha died Sunday, October 19, 2014, at the Countryside Estates Care Center in Cherokee, IA.
Preceding Bertha in death were her parents, two husbands; Albert and Harry, one grandson, Shane Swanson, four sisters; Florence Nord, Maxine Wine, Alice Irene Stumpf, and Agnes Eileen Bartels, five brothers; Lawrence Gesy, Emmitt Gesy, Virgil Gesy, Joe Gesy, and Leo Gesy.
Survivors include her children; Richard and his wife Marsha Swanson of Spirit Lake, IA, Steven and his wife Colleen Swanson of Rembrandt, IA, Paulette and her husband Dennis Erlandson of Storm Lake, IA, and Pauline and her husband George Lightsey of Collins, MS, seven grandchildren; Heather Swanson, Keith and Nancy Erlandson, Judy and Nate Jones, Eric and Christina Lightsey, Michael and Laura Lightsey, Kelli and Ronald Pedersen, and Keisha and Bryon Trimble, and thirteen great-grandchildren. Also surviving are four step-children; Larry and Val Carlson of Cherokee, Rodney and Connie Carlson of Grinnell, IA, Dianne and Thomas Walsh of St. Mary’s, KS, and Pamela and Duane Jahner of Annadale, VA, seven step-grandchildren; Jay and Julie Carlson, Bill and Kris Carlson, Tom and Ellen Carlson, Jacob and Adrian Walsh, Julie and Jeff Hutley, Justin and Erica Walsh, and Catherine Jahner, nine step-great-grandchildren, one sister, Marcella Hammen of Rockwell City, IA, one sister-in-law, Vera Silseth of Milwaukee, WI, nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.