McIlrath, Bertha B. 1905-1987

MCILRATH, OLIVER, HUFFORD, ELERTSON, ELERTSEN, TEW, STEWARD, KING, FULLER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/11/2010 at 09:17:19

Grinnell Herald-Register (Grinnell, Iowa) Nov. 19, 1987

MRS. MCILRATH RITES FRIDAY

Bertha B. McIlrath, 81, of 539 Tenth Ave., Grinnell, died Monday, Nov. 16, at Grinnell General Hospital.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Sam Reaves, pastor of the Assembly of God Church, officiating. Organist and vocalist will be Naomi Reaves.

Pallbearers will be Curt Heinselman, Don King II, Robert McIlrath, David Richards, John Richards and Randall Tew. Burial will be in Hazelwood Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Assembly of God Church or to Grinnell General Hospital.

The daughter of Andrew Jackson and Mary Frances Oliver Hufford, she was born on Nov. 26, 1905, at West Lafayette, Ind. She was married to Peter Andrew Elertson on Nov. 2, 1925. Following their marriage they lived in different Iowa communities before moving to the Grinnell area in 1928.

Following the death of Mr. Elertson, she was married to John W. McIlrath on Aug. 4, 1947, and they continued to live in Grinnell. Mrs. McIlrath was active as a nurse's aide at the former St. Francis and Community hospitals and the Mayflower Home. She also cared for elderly persons in their homes.

Mrs. McIlrath is survived by two daughters, Bonnie Elertsen Tew of Grinnell and Doris Elertsen Steward of Marshalltown; a stepdaughter, Alberta King of Grinnell; four grandchildren; 13 step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; 26 step-great-grandchildren; and two step-great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; one stepdaughter, Helen Fuller; two stepsons, Raymond and Kenneth McIlrath; a grandson, Jerry Tew; a step-grandson, John McIlrath; six sisters and four brothers.