OBIT: Bertha (BITTINGER) SWAUGER, 1940, of interest in Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

Copyright 2009.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/
________________________________________________


BERTHA BITTINGER SWAUGER

Garrett County, Maryland

  Mrs. Bertha Bittinger Swauger, wife of Albert Swauger, died at her home here 
about 11:40 o'clock Friday night, March 8.  Her death came as a result of, and 
as a release from, an illness which had impaired her health for more than a 
year, and had held her bed-fast for the past seven months.
  Mrs. Swauger was sixty years of age.  She was born in the Bittinger section, 
March 16, 1880, a daughter of the late Thomas Henry and Elizabeth Hoover 
Bittinger.  They were among the early residents of this section of the county, 
Mr. Bittinger once serving a term in the Maryland House of Delegates.  Like her 
parents, Mrs. Swauger had lived in this community all of her life.  She was well 
known in this and neighboring communities and had a wide circle of friends.  
Before her marriage, Dec. 1, 1903, to Mr. Swauger, a native of Grantsville, she 
taught in the county schools, and later at the old Amish school which was 
destroyed by the tornado of some years ago.  Since their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. 
Swauger have made their home at Grantsville where they have reared their family 
of six children, five daughters and one son, all of whom survive.  They are: 
Viola (Mrs. M. Douglas) Reynolds, Johnstown, Pa.; Helen (Mrs. Elmer C.) 
Hendershot, Hancock; Erma (Mrs. W. Harold) Miller, Grantsville; Evelyn, Grace 
and Ivan Swauger, at home.  She also leaves, in addition to her bereaved 
husband, one brother, Lawrence G. Bittinger, Grantsville, one sister, Mrs. Anna 
Grady, Pierce, W.Va., and ten grandchildren.
  At an early age Mrs. Swauger became a member of the Grantsville Lutheran 
Church, in which she took an active interest, and for several years served as 
organist there.  Her daughter, Mrs. W. Harold Miller, succeeded her in that 
capacity several years ago.  She was also a member of the Grantsville Community 
Club and until ill health prevented, was actively interested in this work as 
well.
  Rev. Samuel D. Sigler, pastor of the Grantsville Lutheran Church, conducted 
funeral services at the church Monday afternoon, March 11.  Music was furnished 
by the quartet from the Salisbury, Pa., Lutheran Church.  Pallbearers were 
Messrs. Edgar Michael, Harvey Gortner, George W. Diefenbach, Ralph Glotfelty, 
John Zehner and Leonard B. Schaefer.  Interment was in the Grantsville cemetery 
under the direction of William Winterberg, local mortician.
  Mr. and Mrs. M. Douglas Reynolds, and family, Johnstown, Pa., Mr. and Mrs. 
Elmer C. Hendershot and family, Hancock, and Mrs. Anna Grady, Pierce, W.Va., 
were here to attend the services.

Meyersdale Republican, March 14, 1940