Bertha Newton Tucker

Our sister, aunt, great-aunt, and great-great-aunt, Bertha Newton Tucker, lost her long courageous battle due to complications of congestive heart failure and pneumonia, March 28, at Billings Health and Rehabilitation Community. She died peacefully with her niece, Erna Crouse, and other family members at her bedside.

Aunt Bertha was the second child born to Parker and Edna (Dick) Newton on July 3, 1913, in Roundup, Mont. She grew up on the family ranch with her parents, two brothers and one sister. At the age of 19, she took on the role of housekeeper, cook and caretaker of her two younger siblings, due to the early death of their mother. On January 18, 1934, she married Sig Tucker and had one son, Lorance. They resided in Roundup until her husband's death in 1969. After their son graduated from high school, she clerked in various stores around Roundup, namely Central Grocery and Bryngs Dress Shop. She ended her working career as a Nurses Aide at the Roundup Memorial Hospital, doing the work she loved the best. After the death of her husband, she sold their home in Roundup and moved to Billings and resided next door to her son and his family. After six short years of enjoying watching her granddaughters grow up, her son (only child), daughter-in-law, and her two granddaughters all perished together in a tragic airplane crash in 1976. She was finally able to pick up the pieces of her life and enjoyed her remaining years as much as possible with her surviving family.

Bertha was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Sig Tucker; older brother, Herbert Newton; son, Lorance C. Tucker; daughter-in-law, Darlene Tucker; and granddaughters, Edna and Dena Tucker.

She is survived by brother, Walter Newton of Huntley; sister, Marion Wanchena of Tacoma, Wash.; three nephews, Leroy Newton of Roundup, and Matt and Tim Wanchena of Tacoma; five nieces, Erna Crouse of Billings, Oral Swanson of Bozeman, Marlene Foss of Bellingham, Wash., Vicky Reder of Tacoma, and Toni Vercillo of Tacoma; plus many great- and great-great-nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express our appreciation to the staff in the memory care unit at Billings Health and Rehabilitation Community, with special thanks to Dr. Irene Lohkamp, Barb, Teressa, and Earl for all their loving care and compassion for Aunt Bertha over the last 13 months.

Memorial service under the direction of Wier Funeral Home will be held on Saturday, April 21, at 11 a.m. at First Methodist Church in Roundup. Bertha will be laid to rest in the New Miners Cemetery next to her husband. Memorials may be made to the First Methodist Church, Musselshell Valley Historical Museum or the charity of your choice.

Bertha Tucker