BETTE J. BERGERT

On August 14th, 2018, Bette Bergert escaped cancer and found the loving, peaceful, and beautiful refuge promised to all believers of Jesus Christ. She found herself in the warm embrace of her husband, Butch. Reunited after 2 and a half years apart they begin the eternal and unimaginable joy of being showered in the glory of God in heaven. Wounded as we are here, with our hearts broken, we smile thinking about how amazing she must feel and are thankful for that and for the infinite fun and happy memories we have of Bette. Praise God.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 18 ^th at 10:30 a.m.  the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee, Iowa. Rev. Eric Wright will officiate. Burial of the cremains will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Cherokee, Iowa. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the church on Saturday. Visitation will be on Friday from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Bette was born on August 12, 1952 in Sioux Falls, S.D. and was raised by her parents, John and Nellie Burgers, in Colton, S.D. Bette attended Tri-Valley High School and graduated in 1970. She then set out for Michigan and attended Calvin College. She graduated from there in 1974 and eventually ended up in LeMars, Iowa. She worked for Harker's Distribution for 30 years. During that time, in the mid-1980s, she started square dancing. She was good at it too, according to Butch, and this is where they fell in love. Richard (Butch) Bergert and Bette Burgers were married on May 31, 1986 in LeMars. They took their oath seriously and were married for 29 years, until Butch passed away in February of 2016. Not surprisingly, anyone who knew Bette would associate her with the words "loyalty" and "commitment". She was last employed with the Quad County Processors in Galva. She appreciated their support and commitment to her.

Bette and Butch made a lot of memories together and Bette accepted Butch's 6 children into her life and proved again and again how much she loved them. Certainly though, her opus, was the son she and Butch had together. Their son Zachary was her pride and joy.

Bette loved reading, decorating her house, spending time with her family, and she enjoyed winning almost EVERY GAME OF CARDS SHE EVER PLAYED! Not that she ever bragged. She was much too humble for that. She was as calm, cool, and collected as anyone you would ever meet. It is very doubtful you ever heard her gossip and there is no way you ever heard her yell in anger. She was a kind, peaceful soul. Bette was an awesome grandma. Along with Butch, she always gladly hosted loved ones at her home and did her best to visit family and watch her grandkids participate in sports and band and other activities. She and Butch always happily attended birthday parties, weddings, and family get- togethers. Even after he passed and her health began to fail, she did her best to see family and to support them.

Bette was preceded in death by her husband Butch and by her parents.

Remaining to mourn her death and celebrate her life are her son Zachary (Abby) Denver, CO; six step children: Shawn (Brian Bunkers) Bergert of San Bernardino, CA, Tami Collins of Cedar Rapids, IA, Trevis (Nicole) Bergert of Tullahoma, TN, Ellisha (Craig) Bennink of Cedar Rapids, IA, Payt (Rachel) Bergert of Shellsburg, IA, and Lucas (Nicole) Bergert of Belgrade, MT; 15 grandchildren: Isabella Collins; Caleb, Nathan (Rachel), Hannah, Sarah, Abram, Eli Bergert; Tyler (Alex), Garret, and Gabrielle Bennink; Jonah, Isaiah, and Alaina Bergert; and Mikayla and Ariel Bergert; One great-granddaughter Eleanor Bergert; Siblings Judy (John) DeJong of Sioux Falls, S.D., Jan (Marvin) Sturing of Alton, IA, Mitch (Jan) Burgers of Grand Rapids, MI, Alan (Sandra) Burgers of Overland Park, KS, and many, many other cousins, nephews, nieces and friends.