Bertha Ann Jones, age 73 passed away on Sunday, September 5, 2021. Visitation will be held from 1:00 - 7:00 p.m., Monday, September 13, with family to receive friends from 5-7 p.m. at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 14, at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home with Pastor Kristi Firme officiating. Bertha will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery and following the burial, there will be a luncheon at Christ United Methodist Church. Bertha Ann was born in Grant, Nebraska on May 3, 1948, to Arden "Doc" Harris and Gwendolyn (Rowley) Harris. She attended Grant Elementary and Perkins County High School. As a teen, Bertha worked at the Banner Café. After graduating high school, she worked at many jobs, including TRW in Ogallala and at a developmentally challenged home in Holyoke. She married Dick Jones in Curtis, Nebraska on December 24, 1971. Dick, Bertha and her children, Paul and Sonja lived in Curtis the next 5 years. She enjoyed babysitting Dick's nieces and nephews during this time. After moving to Sterling with her family in 1976, she worked for Sterling Motor Lodge, provided childcare, cleaned houses, and worked for Super 8 Motel later. Bertha was a Girl Scout leader for 12 years, and trainer for scout leaders for 4 years. She was a member of the G.S. Endowment Fund for several years. Bertha enjoyed attending the Stonecroft Bible studies when she first moved to Sterling and instructed a few studies. She is a life member of the VFW Auxiliary and has held all local offices and some district offices. Bertha was determined to help and support many veterans' organizations in honor of her father (WW II), husband and son. Her fraternal grandmother made many quilts for her grandchildren, which encouraged Bertha to learn how to make quilts for her own grandchildren, and other family members and friends. Her other interests were reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, and spending time with her granddaughters and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Dick; sister Karla McMullen, and brother Emery Harris. Bertha is survived by her son Paul, daughter Sonja, granddaughters, Zayvea of Sterling, Zandra (Anthony) Jones of Ft. Collins, and Zariah (Ryan) Dolozal of Grant, Nebraska; 3 great grandchildren, Brandon, Alyce and Malcolm; sisters, Lori (Warren) Davison, Ardis (Frank) Garcia all of Sterling; sisters-in-law, Joyce Jones of Sterling, and Marla Harris of Ogallala and many nieces and nephews and friends. Memorials may be made to American Kidney Foundation, American Diabetic Foundation or VFW Aux. #3541.
Published by Journal Advocate on Sep. 10, 2021.