Bertie Varner
1932-2018
Bertie Varner passed from this earth on Monday evening February 5, 2018, at the age of 85 years 4 months and 6 days at her home in Ingram, Kerr County, Texas. Born September 30, 1932 somewhere around Mountain Home, Baxter County, Arkansas, the oldest of two children, Bertie Ann Crawford was the daughter of Wilbern Bryant "Webb" Crawford and Rosetta Morris Crawford Sanders.
Bertie grew up the hard way in the Ozark Mountains in Mountain Home, Arkansas and at age 15 years met and married Chester Alvin Varner on Sept. 7, 1948 in Marion County, Arkansas. She and Chester moved to Travis Peak, Travis County, Texas, and had seven children. Those early years in Texas were some of Bertie's fondest memories. She spent many a long day fishing on Lake Travis which she so dearly loved. She often stated that "she had really just grown up right alongside of her kids" and credited Chester with having raised them all. In 1958 the family moved to Mountain Home, Kerr County, Texas.
Both Chester and Bertie worked at the Wheless Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas and then at the Rocky Ford Ranch in Ingram, Texas raising their family there. Bertie worked at the Ingram School cafeteria for about five years, and then went on to work at several different cafes and restaurants in the Kerrville area. Two of which were Mrs. Mac's Café where people came from miles around on Sundays to eat her fried chicken and the Del Norte Restaurant where her pies were a top seller.
In 1974 Chester was hired as the front gate man at the Y. O. Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas and Bertie started working at the Y.O. Ranch chuckwagon as an assistant cook on Oct. 8, 1976 and then advanced to the head cook position. She and Chester lived on the a 20,000-acre Live Oak section of the Y.O. For the next 28 plus years Bertie made the 16-mile round trip to the ranch headquarters twice-daily six days a week cooking at least two meals a day for both ranch employees and guests. Her fried chicken and chocolate cake were favorites there.
It was during her years at the Y.O. Ranch that her "down home cooking style, cooks everything from scratch" talents were discovered by the P.B.S. television cooking show series "Great Chefs of the West". The successful 26-show series featured 60 chefs, most of whom were well-known and professionally trained. Bertie was just one of a small handful of self-taught cooks included in the series. The show was picked up by 300 stations from coast to coast, and began airing in 1987. Four of Bertie's dishes were included on the show and can still be viewed on the internet today. A 206-page companion cookbook to the cooking series titled "Southwest Tastes" was published in 1987 and featured Bertie and six of her recipes. While some of Bertie's recipes had been previously published in several cookbooks and newspapers, it was the P.B.S. show and cookbook that brought her more wide-spread fame. After the show began to air, thousands of people traveled to the ranch just to eat some of "Bertie's cookin" and to meet the Y.O. Ranch celebrity.
Due to health problems, Bertie had to retire from the Y.O. Ranch in 2005. Since that time has lived a quiet life in Ingram, Texas, has enjoyed her family, trips back to Arkansas to see her kin-folks, traveling, and the antics of her four-legged furry body guards and her great-grandson, Vance.
Bertie was preceded in death by her parents, step-mother, husband, one son, one brother, two half-sisters, and two half-brothers.
Bertie is survived by her children, Jo Ann, Dean, Donald (Lou), Chester (Debbie), David (Connie) Varner, Rose Mary (Wayan) Cika; grandchildren Chad, Katie, and Zachary Varner; great-grandson, Vance Varner; step-siblings Willis and Ray Mitchell Crawford, and Betty Crawford Golden, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Bertie's life will be held Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at Grimes Funeral Chapels, Kerrville, Texas.
1932-2018
Bertie Varner passed from this earth on Monday evening February 5, 2018, at the age of 85 years 4 months and 6 days at her home in Ingram, Kerr County, Texas. Born September 30, 1932 somewhere around Mountain Home, Baxter County, Arkansas, the oldest of two children, Bertie Ann Crawford was the daughter of Wilbern Bryant "Webb" Crawford and Rosetta Morris Crawford Sanders.
Bertie grew up the hard way in the Ozark Mountains in Mountain Home, Arkansas and at age 15 years met and married Chester Alvin Varner on Sept. 7, 1948 in Marion County, Arkansas. She and Chester moved to Travis Peak, Travis County, Texas, and had seven children. Those early years in Texas were some of Bertie's fondest memories. She spent many a long day fishing on Lake Travis which she so dearly loved. She often stated that "she had really just grown up right alongside of her kids" and credited Chester with having raised them all. In 1958 the family moved to Mountain Home, Kerr County, Texas.
Both Chester and Bertie worked at the Wheless Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas and then at the Rocky Ford Ranch in Ingram, Texas raising their family there. Bertie worked at the Ingram School cafeteria for about five years, and then went on to work at several different cafes and restaurants in the Kerrville area. Two of which were Mrs. Mac's Café where people came from miles around on Sundays to eat her fried chicken and the Del Norte Restaurant where her pies were a top seller.
In 1974 Chester was hired as the front gate man at the Y. O. Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas and Bertie started working at the Y.O. Ranch chuckwagon as an assistant cook on Oct. 8, 1976 and then advanced to the head cook position. She and Chester lived on the a 20,000-acre Live Oak section of the Y.O. For the next 28 plus years Bertie made the 16-mile round trip to the ranch headquarters twice-daily six days a week cooking at least two meals a day for both ranch employees and guests. Her fried chicken and chocolate cake were favorites there.
It was during her years at the Y.O. Ranch that her "down home cooking style, cooks everything from scratch" talents were discovered by the P.B.S. television cooking show series "Great Chefs of the West". The successful 26-show series featured 60 chefs, most of whom were well-known and professionally trained. Bertie was just one of a small handful of self-taught cooks included in the series. The show was picked up by 300 stations from coast to coast, and began airing in 1987. Four of Bertie's dishes were included on the show and can still be viewed on the internet today. A 206-page companion cookbook to the cooking series titled "Southwest Tastes" was published in 1987 and featured Bertie and six of her recipes. While some of Bertie's recipes had been previously published in several cookbooks and newspapers, it was the P.B.S. show and cookbook that brought her more wide-spread fame. After the show began to air, thousands of people traveled to the ranch just to eat some of "Bertie's cookin" and to meet the Y.O. Ranch celebrity.
Due to health problems, Bertie had to retire from the Y.O. Ranch in 2005. Since that time has lived a quiet life in Ingram, Texas, has enjoyed her family, trips back to Arkansas to see her kin-folks, traveling, and the antics of her four-legged furry body guards and her great-grandson, Vance.
Bertie was preceded in death by her parents, step-mother, husband, one son, one brother, two half-sisters, and two half-brothers.
Bertie is survived by her children, Jo Ann, Dean, Donald (Lou), Chester (Debbie), David (Connie) Varner, Rose Mary (Wayan) Cika; grandchildren Chad, Katie, and Zachary Varner; great-grandson, Vance Varner; step-siblings Willis and Ray Mitchell Crawford, and Betty Crawford Golden, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Bertie's life will be held Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at Grimes Funeral Chapels, Kerrville, Texas.
Bertie Varner
1932-2018
Bertie Varner passed from this earth on Monday evening February 5, 2018, at the age of 85 years 4 months and 6 days at her home in Ingram, Kerr County, Texas. Born September 30, 1932 somewhere around Mountain Home, Baxter County, Arkansas, the oldest of two children, Bertie Ann Crawford was the daughter of Wilbern Bryant "Webb" Crawford and Rosetta Morris Crawford Sanders.
Bertie grew up the hard way in the Ozark Mountains in Mountain Home, Arkansas and at age 15 years met and married Chester Alvin Varner on Sept. 7, 1948 in Marion County, Arkansas. She and Chester moved to Travis Peak, Travis County, Texas, and had seven children. Those early years in Texas were some of Bertie's fondest memories. She spent many a long day fishing on Lake Travis which she so dearly loved. She often stated that "she had really just grown up right alongside of her kids" and credited Chester with having raised them all. In 1958 the family moved to Mountain Home, Kerr County, Texas.
Both Chester and Bertie worked at the Wheless Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas and then at the Rocky Ford Ranch in Ingram, Texas raising their family there. Bertie worked at the Ingram School cafeteria for about five years, and then went on to work at several different cafes and restaurants in the Kerrville area. Two of which were Mrs. Mac's Café where people came from miles around on Sundays to eat her fried chicken and the Del Norte Restaurant where her pies were a top seller.
In 1974 Chester was hired as the front gate man at the Y. O. Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas and Bertie started working at the Y.O. Ranch chuckwagon as an assistant cook on Oct. 8, 1976 and then advanced to the head cook position. She and Chester lived on the a 20,000-acre Live Oak section of the Y.O. For the next 28 plus years Bertie made the 16-mile round trip to the ranch headquarters twice-daily six days a week cooking at least two meals a day for both ranch employees and guests. Her fried chicken and chocolate cake were favorites there.
It was during her years at the Y.O. Ranch that her "down home cooking style, cooks everything from scratch" talents were discovered by the P.B.S. television cooking show series "Great Chefs of the West". The successful 26-show series featured 60 chefs, most of whom were well-known and professionally trained. Bertie was just one of a small handful of self-taught cooks included in the series. The show was picked up by 300 stations from coast to coast, and began airing in 1987. Four of Bertie's dishes were included on the show and can still be viewed on the internet today. A 206-page companion cookbook to the cooking series titled "Southwest Tastes" was published in 1987 and featured Bertie and six of her recipes. While some of Bertie's recipes had been previously published in several cookbooks and newspapers, it was the P.B.S. show and cookbook that brought her more wide-spread fame. After the show began to air, thousands of people traveled to the ranch just to eat some of "Bertie's cookin" and to meet the Y.O. Ranch celebrity.
Due to health problems, Bertie had to retire from the Y.O. Ranch in 2005. Since that time has lived a quiet life in Ingram, Texas, has enjoyed her family, trips back to Arkansas to see her kin-folks, traveling, and the antics of her four-legged furry body guards and her great-grandson, Vance.
Bertie was preceded in death by her parents, step-mother, husband, one son, one brother, two half-sisters, and two half-brothers.
Bertie is survived by her children, Jo Ann, Dean, Donald (Lou), Chester (Debbie), David (Connie) Varner, Rose Mary (Wayan) Cika; grandchildren Chad, Katie, and Zachary Varner; great-grandson, Vance Varner; step-siblings Willis and Ray Mitchell Crawford, and Betty Crawford Golden, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Bertie's life will be held Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at Grimes Funeral Chapels, Kerrville, Texas.
1932-2018
Bertie Varner passed from this earth on Monday evening February 5, 2018, at the age of 85 years 4 months and 6 days at her home in Ingram, Kerr County, Texas. Born September 30, 1932 somewhere around Mountain Home, Baxter County, Arkansas, the oldest of two children, Bertie Ann Crawford was the daughter of Wilbern Bryant "Webb" Crawford and Rosetta Morris Crawford Sanders.
Bertie grew up the hard way in the Ozark Mountains in Mountain Home, Arkansas and at age 15 years met and married Chester Alvin Varner on Sept. 7, 1948 in Marion County, Arkansas. She and Chester moved to Travis Peak, Travis County, Texas, and had seven children. Those early years in Texas were some of Bertie's fondest memories. She spent many a long day fishing on Lake Travis which she so dearly loved. She often stated that "she had really just grown up right alongside of her kids" and credited Chester with having raised them all. In 1958 the family moved to Mountain Home, Kerr County, Texas.
Both Chester and Bertie worked at the Wheless Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas and then at the Rocky Ford Ranch in Ingram, Texas raising their family there. Bertie worked at the Ingram School cafeteria for about five years, and then went on to work at several different cafes and restaurants in the Kerrville area. Two of which were Mrs. Mac's Café where people came from miles around on Sundays to eat her fried chicken and the Del Norte Restaurant where her pies were a top seller.
In 1974 Chester was hired as the front gate man at the Y. O. Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas and Bertie started working at the Y.O. Ranch chuckwagon as an assistant cook on Oct. 8, 1976 and then advanced to the head cook position. She and Chester lived on the a 20,000-acre Live Oak section of the Y.O. For the next 28 plus years Bertie made the 16-mile round trip to the ranch headquarters twice-daily six days a week cooking at least two meals a day for both ranch employees and guests. Her fried chicken and chocolate cake were favorites there.
It was during her years at the Y.O. Ranch that her "down home cooking style, cooks everything from scratch" talents were discovered by the P.B.S. television cooking show series "Great Chefs of the West". The successful 26-show series featured 60 chefs, most of whom were well-known and professionally trained. Bertie was just one of a small handful of self-taught cooks included in the series. The show was picked up by 300 stations from coast to coast, and began airing in 1987. Four of Bertie's dishes were included on the show and can still be viewed on the internet today. A 206-page companion cookbook to the cooking series titled "Southwest Tastes" was published in 1987 and featured Bertie and six of her recipes. While some of Bertie's recipes had been previously published in several cookbooks and newspapers, it was the P.B.S. show and cookbook that brought her more wide-spread fame. After the show began to air, thousands of people traveled to the ranch just to eat some of "Bertie's cookin" and to meet the Y.O. Ranch celebrity.
Due to health problems, Bertie had to retire from the Y.O. Ranch in 2005. Since that time has lived a quiet life in Ingram, Texas, has enjoyed her family, trips back to Arkansas to see her kin-folks, traveling, and the antics of her four-legged furry body guards and her great-grandson, Vance.
Bertie was preceded in death by her parents, step-mother, husband, one son, one brother, two half-sisters, and two half-brothers.
Bertie is survived by her children, Jo Ann, Dean, Donald (Lou), Chester (Debbie), David (Connie) Varner, Rose Mary (Wayan) Cika; grandchildren Chad, Katie, and Zachary Varner; great-grandson, Vance Varner; step-siblings Willis and Ray Mitchell Crawford, and Betty Crawford Golden, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Bertie's life will be held Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at Grimes Funeral Chapels, Kerrville, Texas.
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