Bertha Bucher

1925 - 2020

Bertha Dean Bucher passed away Oct. 22, 2020, at the Fairbanks Pioneers Home.
Bertha Dean Rankin was born in Great Falls, Montana, Feb. 11, 1925, to Bill and Julia Rankin. She grew up on the Kicking Horse ranch near Sunburst, Montana. During her early childhood, Bertha Dean, her parents and her younger brother, George Rankin, survived the depression era and managed to keep the ranch in the Rankin family name where it still remains today. She attended grade school at the one-room Tool School near the ranch and then high school in Sunburst, Montana. After graduating from high school, Bertha Dean attended Rocky Mountain College were she earned a degree in teaching. After graduating college she returned to the Tool school to teach for a short time before moving to Coal Strip, Montana, also teaching school.
Bertha Dean had an adventurous spirit. She traveled across America from New York, Florida, Las Vegas and several other states working odd jobs and driving cars to dealerships with her best friend, Phyllis Matzdorf, eventually coming to Alaska to teach first in Palmer and then Fort Yukon. While living in Fort Yukon she built a one-room log cabin to live in during her time there. It was during her time in Fort Yukon that she met Jack Bucher, who would one day be her loving husband and soul mate for life.
Bertha Dean and Jack were married Dec. 28, 1961, in Sunburst, Montana. They settled down in Fairbanks were she taught school at Two Rivers and spent the summers at the glass shop Jack was working in. In 1966 Bertha Dean and Jack decided to step out on their own and founded Bucher Glass Inc. From then on she dedicated her time to family, the glass shop, and volunteering and donating to many of the charitable organizations in Fairbanks. Bertha and Jack built the log house of her dreams on their property not far from Fairbanks. In the summers they grew a garden and tended to the yard which always had hundreds of flowers beautifully arranged.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Jack Bucher; brother, George Rankin; and mother and father, Bill and Julia Rankin. She is survived by her son, Scott Bucher; and nieces and nephews, Cathy Rankin Bjorkman, Gary Rankin, Jeanne Rankin and Billy Rankin.
Bertha Dean loved helping charitable organizations. In lieu of flowers please donate to your favorite charitable organization.
There will be a celebration of life Saturday, May 1, at 1 p.m. at Fairbanks Lutheran Church, 1012 Cowles St., by invitation due to Covid. Please call for an invitation.