Wava J. (Steffen) Bertsch

July 23, 1928 – November 9, 2016

Photo by Scott Shoup

Wava J. Bertsch, 88, of Bluffton, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, at Christian Care Retirement Community.

She was born July 23, 1928, in Adams County to Noah and Aldula V. Schwartz Steffen. She married Leonard Bertsch in Bluffton on March 19, 1950; he preceded her in death on Dec. 3, 2006.

She graduated from Bluffton High School in 1946 and worked as a bookkeeper for Bertsch Family Dairy Equipment from 1962 to 1987. She was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church in Bluffton. Wava enjoyed being a part of the Ladies Sewing Group at the Apostolic Christian Church.

She is survived by a son, Larry (Laura) Bertsch of Bluffton; two daughters, Diane Mason and Connie Bertsch, both of Bluffton; a sister, Carolyn (Ben) Manz of Paulding, Ohio; six grandchildren, Kara Wright, Aaron Mason, Eric Mason, Troy Bertsch, Lance Bertsch and Luke Bertsch; seven great-grandchildren, Morgan and Audrey Wright, Joselyn and Quinnton and Pierceton Mason, and Sophia and Grayson Bertsch.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Lester W. Steffen.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Bluffton North Apostolic Christian Church; Nile Bucher, Ryan Bertsch and Dan Pfister will officiate. Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday at Goodwin-Cale & Harnish Memorial Chapel in Bluffton and at 9 a.m. Saturday at the church. Burial will be at noon Saturday in the Apostolic Christian Cemetery in Adams County.

Memorials can be sent to Christian Care Retirement Community.

Goodwin-Cale & Harnish Memorial Chapel online obit (access 5/4/2017)