Gerald Berte 1944-2006

BERTE, KELLNER, BONNSTETTER, CAPESIUS, HOVEY, LICHTER, BIRKET, ALBRECHT, KUKER, VASKE

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 12/11/2007 at 15:56:43

West Bend Journal; West Bend, Palo Alto, Iowa; Thursday, August 31, 2006

Gerald Alvin Berte
1944-2006

Funeral Mass for Gerald Alvin Berte was held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 29, 2006, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Joseph, Iowa, with Father Paul Eisele concelebrating. Burial was in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by the Garry-Roberts-Murphy-Schaaf Funeral Home of Algona.

Gerald Alvin Berte was born March 11, 1944, in Fort Dodge, Iowa,the son of Joseph and Isabelle Kellner Berte. Gerald grew up in St. Joe, where he attended St. Joseph School, and went on to Garrigan High School, graduating in 1962. After his schooling he began to farm.

On September 1, 1967, Gerald was united in marriage to Jeanne Bonnstetter at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in West Bend, Iowa. After their marriage, the couple lived in the St. Joe area, where Gerald farmed. In 1976, Gerald and his brother Don founded Berte Construction. In 1978 Gerald and Jeanne started Spring Valley Golf Course, where they spent countless hours maintaining the course and making it one of the most beautiful 18-hole golf courses in Iowa.

Gerald enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, working at the golf course, playing tennis and golf, hiking and woodworking. He was also a huge lover of music and was a guitar player for God’s Country. He was a member of St. Joseph’s Knights of Columbus and St. Joseph Catholic Church, where he served as a Director on the Parish Council.

Surrounded by family, Gerald died Saturday, August 26, 2006, at his home at Livermore, Iowa. He was 62.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne of Livermore; children,Stephanie and Dean Capesius of Livermore; Sandy and Troy Hovey of Bettendorf; Curt and Christie Berte of Livermore; Chad and Molly Berte of Livermore; Melinda and Thad Lichter of Davenport; grandchildren: Bryan, Sheridan, Victor, Jacob, Alexa, Luke, Donovan, Logan, Emerald, Isabella, Emma and Avery. Also surviving are his father, Joseph Berte of Humboldt; brothers and sisters, Sylvester and Karen Berte of LuVerne; Cecelia and Bob Birket of Fort Dodge; Lorine and Charlie Albrecht of Renwick; Helen and Charles Kuker of Long Prairie, MN; Don and Sandy Berte of Raleigh, NC; Mathias and Cindy Berte of Bode; Monica Vaske of Bancroft, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his mother, and daughter-in-law Nicole Berte. Arrangements were handled by Oakcrest Funeral Homes.