Bertha Bakker

Rock Valley, Iowa: Bertha Bakker, 87, of Rock Valley died Saturday, January 24, 2015 at the Hegg Memorial Health Center in Rock Valley. Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 31, 2015 at the First Reformed Church in Rock Valley with Rev. Garry Nyenhuis officiating. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery. Condolences for the family may be left online at www.porterfuneralhomes.com.

Bertha was born on October 8, 1927 in Rock Valley to Hattie and John Ver Wey in a house 2 doors down from where her current home was. Bertha’s father passed away when she was 2 years old. She was raised by her widowed mother and 5 wonderful bachelor uncles. Her mother, father, and uncles all emigrated from the Netherlands to the United States, seeking a better life in this country.

During high school, Bertha was employed at the Rock Valley Bee where she used her proficiency in short hand to aid in reporting local stories. She graduated in 1945. After high school she attended Westmar College in Lemars, Iowa where she obtained her teaching certificate. She eventually taught in 2 different one room school houses around the rural Rock Valley area. Students and friends would remember her as the teacher who drove a Model A with yellow wheels. Bertha married Raymond Bakker on May 25, 1951.

She delighted in spending time with family and friends. Thanks to her Dutch speaking mother and uncles, she became fluent in the language and often helped her friends to translate “letters from the old country”. Bertha was a lifelong member of the First Reformed Church where she periodically taught Sunday School and for 30 years enjoyed delivering the church bulletin to residents of Valley Manor. She made sure to take time to talk to each resident. In recent years, due to physical limitations, Bertha was confined to her home where she had lived for 85 years. She appreciated visits and phone calls from family and friends and was always delighted to talk about the weather.

Grateful for having shared in Bertha's life are her husband; her three children, Peter of Sheboygan WI, Ruth of Canton, SD, and Elaine Lawrensen (Barry) of Hong Kong, China; 7 grandchildren; and 1 great granddaughter. Her radiant and upbeat personality will be profoundly missed. Our loss is heaven’s gain.

Bertha was preceded in death by her parents and younger brother Johnie who died at age 2.

Funeral Service

10:00 a.m. ,Saturday, January 31, 2015
Rock Valley First Reformed Church
1501 16th Street Rock Valley, Iowa 51247