Jessie Bertz

Jessie Taylor Little Bertz was born on August 30th, 1924, in Brandon, Wisconsin. She attended Brandon School and graduated from High School in 1944. She was a Charter Member of the Brandon Girl Scout Troop. She took piano lessons from Lulu Sherwin. In 1944, she entered the Nurses Cadet Corps at St. Agnes School of Nursing, now Marian University, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and graduated in 1947. She worked one year at St. Agnes Hospital. On July 24, 1948, she married Ralph H. Bertz of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She lived in Madison and worked in Madison General Hospital. In 1949, she moved to Virginia, Minnesota. She was a member of the Methodist Church. Douglas was born December 20, 1950. Kate was born January 24, 1954. Jessie was a den mother. In 1961, she moved to Rogers City, Michigan. She was active in the Girl Scouts, belonged to the Presbyterian Church, took a refresher course in nursing, and worked part-time at the Rogers City Hospital.

In 1972, she moved to Duluth, Minnesota. She took piano lessons from Joanadelle Tetlie for fifteen years at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). She was a member of the Duluth Congregational Church, sang in the choir, and worked in the Women's Guild. She belonged to the Duluth Women's Club.

She is survived by her son, Dr. Douglas Ralph Bertz (Doug), of Kaleden, British Columbia, Canada, and her daughter, Kathryn Louise Bertz (Kate), of Duluth, Minnesota, her grandson Ian MacEneany of Duluth,several nieces and nephews, and several cousins in Scotland where her parents came from. Her husband of sixty-six years, Ralph Harrison Bertz, passed away on June 4th, 2014.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Duluth Congregational Church at 3833 East Superior Street on Saturday, September 27, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. A Memorial Reception Tea will follow at the Church. The internment of Ralph and Jessie Bertz's ashes will be at the Forest Hill Cemetery in the Caledonian Grounds of the Duluth Scottish Heritage Association near the cairn at 2516 Woodland Avenue, Duluth, Minnesota 55803. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the Duluth Congregational Church, 3833 East Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, telephone: 218-525-1911; the Boy Scouts of America-Voyageurs Area Council, 3877 Stebner Road, Hermantown, Minnesota 55811, telephone: 218-729-5811; or the Benedictine Health Centre Adult Daycare Program, 935 Kenwood Avenue, Duluth, Minnesota 55811, telephone: 218-723-6408.