OBITUARY: Bertha O. Falk, 1906-2002, Mitchell County, Iowa




                            Bertha O. Falk

Bertha O. Falk, 96, Northwood, died Sunday, July 14, at the Lutheran
Retirement Home in Northwood, Iowa.

Memorial services were Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Mason City,
with the Rev. James M. Magelssen officiating. Private family committal
services were Wednesday morning at Sunset Rest Cemetery in Northwood.

Bertha was born March 10, 1906, in rural Kensett, Iowa, the daughter of Nels
and Mary (Brunsvold) Mellem. She was baptized in Elk Creek Lutheran Church
in rural Kensett and was confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Northwood.
She moved with her family to Northwood in 1919 and graduated from Northwood
High School in 1925.

Bertha taught rural school in Worth County until she married Sherwin Falk
of St. Ansgar on July 24, 1927. The Falks made their home in St. Ansgar
until moving to Northwood in 1929 where Sherwin established a machine shop
and a plumbing and heating business.

Following Sherwin's retirement in 1965, the Falks moved to Mason City
where they resided until 1984 when they moved to Friendship Haven in Fort
Dodge. Sherwin died in 1987. Bertha continued to reside in Fort Dodge until
1993 when she returned to Mason City to live at various times at the Willows,
the Manor and Willow Pointe. She moved to the Lutheran Retirement Home in
Northwood in December of 1999.

Bertha was a charter member as well as a member for more than 50 years of
the Semper Fidelis Club in Northwood. She was a member of Chapter KW P.E.O.
sisterhood and was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Survivors include a daughter, Gloria Ambroson and her husband, Donald, of
Mason City; three grandsons; two granddaughters; several nieces and a
nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; five sisters and one
brother.



Copyright (c) 2002 by Kermit Kittleson

Based on obituary in The Northwood Anchor online -- July 23, 2002