BERTHA "BERTIE" L. HAGAN, 87 of North Platte, passed away Sunday, November 4, 2018, at Linden Court.
Bertie was born May 27, 1931, in Chase County, Nebraska to John and Alta (Cary) Wheeler. She graduated from Perkins County High School in 1948.
On September 1, 1948, Bertie married Kenneth Garska. The couple made their home in the Grainton area, and their union was blessed with four children, Graig, Jody, Vicki, and Alta. After their marriage ended, Bertie moved to Denver to be closer to her daughters. On April 18, 1992, Bertie married Dale Hagan at the Grainton Methodist Church and subsequently made their home in Imperial. Following Dale's death, Bertie moved to Linden Court in North Platte, where she received excellent care.
To Bertie, her family was the cornerstone of her life. She also enjoyed spending time reading, sewing, and crocheting over the years. As the matriarch of her family, Bertie had a way of conferring wisdom to her loved ones. One of her most notable aphorisms was, "Things always have a way of working out... It may not be the way you planned, but they always work out."
Bertie was preceded in death by her parents, John and Alta Wheeler; husband, Dale; brother, Roy and his wife Joy; sisters, Vada Kessler and Wilma Sorge; brother-in-law, Nick Corey; granddaughter, Reanna Garska; great-granddaughter, Kiana Go; and former spouse, Kenneth.
Left to continue her legacy are her children, Graig Garska of Grand Junction, CO, Jody (Dr. Lee) Lamberty of North Platte, Vicki (Lonnie) Lovato, and Alta Faye Garska all of Broomfield, CO; Janet (Mike) Haughawout of Omaha, and Barbara Henning of KS; 22 grandchildren; 58 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren; her siblings, Velta Larson of Phoenix AZ, Coleta Corey of Bremerton, WA, Larry (Norma) Wheeler of Oxford, MI; brothers-in-law, Harold Keesler of MI, and Bill Sorge of Holdrege; along with many other relatives and friends.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Association in Bertie's memory. Condolences may be shared at bullocklongfuneralhome.com.
Services will be held on Friday, November 9, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Platte with Pastor Arnold Flater officiating. Burial will be in the Madrid Cemetery.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home of Grant is in charge of arrangements.