BERTSCH, Frieda
March 20, 1930 - April 16, 2016
Frieda Bertsch (March 20, 1930 – April 16, 2016) of Hesketh, Alberta, beloved wife of Adam Bertsch, passed away peacefully at the age of 86. She was born in a little farm house near Hesketh, to Edward and Emilie (Heinrich) Freitag. She lived there her whole life, except for the 4 years that she was in Edmonton to attend CTI Seminary College. In 1960, she married the man across the road, Adam Bertsch. They farmed just north of Hwy 9 for a number of years. While there, they had two boys born to them; Timothy Adam born in 1963, and Allan Adam Edward born in 1965, both of whom died at about three months of age from a heart issue. In 1966, they adopted an infant son who was born in December 1965, who they named Neil Adam. They sold the first farm, and moved north of Hesketh to the old Sigmund farm in the fall of 1967, where Frieda spent her days gathering eggs and milking cows before heading out with the school bus to deliver kids to school in Carbon. In 1968 they adopted a newborn daughter, who they named Charlene Sylvia, who later died in a snowmobile accident just after her 7th birthday in 1975. Through all the trials, she held close to her faith and continued to attend the Zion Baptist Church on Hwy 9, where she helped out in any way she could. Frieda was a Sunday School Teacher, helped with Awana, and Vacation Bible School. She would gather kids from her community, until the back of the pickup was stuffed full, and would head to VBS. In 2001, she retired from driving bus, and received an award for 35 years as a school bus driver from the Golden Hills School Division. Frieda really enjoyed that job, most days. Frieda enjoyed painting pictures and adding colour to black and white wedding photos for lots of people in the community, as well as macramé and playing the card games Rook and Pit. Southern Gospel music was their joy that they shared together and they would travel to various concerts, and even made it to Tennessee in the fall of 2011. Adam and Frieda would sing together in the car and at church, at friends’ weddings, and other celebrations, accompanied by granddaughter Kelisha on piano when available. Frieda and Adam were also active members of Rural Crime Watch for many years. Beside her loving husband of 55 years, Adam Bertsch, Frieda is survived by son Neil (Lonna) Bertsch, three grandchildren, Kelisha Bertsch, Chancelor (Karlyn) Bertsch, Kaitlyn (Landon) Hill, sister in law, Lenora Freitag, and four Albright nephews and their families. She was predeceased by her father and mother, brother, Arthur Freitag, bother in law, Albert Albright and sister in law, Loretta Albright (nee Bertsch). A funeral service will be held Thursday April 21, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. from ZION BAPTIST CHURCH, (west of Drumheller, just off of Hwy 9 on Range Road 22-2) with Rev. Leon Cymbaluk officiating, interment to follow in the Zion Church Cemetery. If Friends so desire memorial donations may be made to the Westview Care Community. Courtney-Winter’s Funeral Homes are in care of the arrangements.
