Crystal, Bertha Lee Elkin (1902-1996)

CRYSTAL, ELKIN, SPARKS, SHORT, SIMPSON, GOURLEY, BOICOURT, KAYSER, NORMAN, BUCHNER, WEARDA, FOX, RASMUSSEN

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:00

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Thursday, March 28, 1996

Bertha Crystal, 93, Webster City, died March 25, 1996 at Crestview Manor Care Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Church of Christ, with Ray Artrip officiating. Burial will be at Cass Township Cemetery, north of Webster City. Visitation will be at Foster Funeral Home after 5 p.m. Friday until 9 a.m. Saturday, when the casket will be taken to the church.

Bertha Lee Elkin, daughter of Grigg and Lucy Sparks Elkin, was born Dec. 26, 1902 in Barnes, Ill. She attended schools in Illinois. On Oct. 3, 1925 she married Everett Adelbert Crystal in Des Moines. The couple started farming near Blairsburg and Williams, and for 47 years, had farmed north of Webster City. They moved to Webster City in 1986.

She is survived by her husband, Everett Crystal, daughters and sons-in-law, Viola Short, Evelyn and Dean Simpson, Georgianna and Gary Gourley, Mary and Marvin Boicourt, Jean and Jon Kayser, all of Webster City, Elizabeth and Royal Norman, Cedar Rapids, Dorothy and Alfred Buchner, Algona; sons and daughters-in-law, Bud and Carol Crystal, Webster City, Bill and Diane Crystal, Stratford; 35 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; sister Viola Wearda, Webster City; brothers Carl Elkin, Donald Elkin, both of Webster City, Grigg Elkin and Elmer Elkin, both of Eagle Grove; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by son-in-law, Estle Short; two grandsons; three great-grandchildren; brothers Percy, Gilbert and Virgil Elkin; and sisters Lillis Elkin, Helen Fox and Ruby Rasmussen.

Mrs. Crystal was a member of the Be Neighborly Club and various church circles.