Mary H. Bertino, 95
Mary H. Bertino, 95, of Columbia Falls, passed away of cancer, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004, at the Brendan House in Kalispell.
She was born Oct. 16, 1909, in Dagget Brook, Minn., to John and Barbara (Campbell) Ellman.
Mary was married to Louis "Boots" Schoenberg on Sept. 2, 1932, in Whitefish. They operated the Boots Cafe for a number of years in Columbia Falls. Later he was a butcher at the Parc Merc. The couple donated land to the City of Columbia Falls for Schoeberg Park. It is used for a skating rink, sliding hill and baseball field.
Mary supervised the home demonstration booth at the country fair for many years. She was a member of St. Richard's Catholic Church and the Altar Society for more than 75 years. She was active in the Columbia Annas Home Demonstration Club, enjoyed ice skating, fishing and hunting. Mary and Boots "tripped the light fantastic" as members of the square dance club.
Boots passed away on Sept. 22, 1968.
Mary Schoenberg and Louis Bertino were married on Nov. 4, 1972. They lived in Sumner, Wash., where he was an iron worker. The Bertinos returned to Columbia Falls, in 1982, when he retired.
She was preceded in death by two sisters, Donna Nadeau and Lorene Sallee; four brothers, John Jr., Ray, Pat, and Jim Ellman; and one stepson, Clarence Bertino.
Mary is survived by three sisters, Frances and husband, Dale Gardner, of Peachtree, Calif., Margie and husband, Stan Sklodo, of Aberdeen, Wash., and Kate Lundstrom of Columbia Falls; two brothers, Frank "Bud" and wife, Mary Lou Ellman, and Sam and wife, Frankie Ellman, of Columbia Falls; her son, John Schoenberg of Apple Valley, Calif.; her husband, Louis Bertino, of Polson; four stepchildren, Louise Allen of Spokane, William and wife, Marilyn Bertino, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Thomas and wife, Ellen Bertino, in Virginia, and Phillip Bertino of Kalispell; three grandchildren, Tanya, Kim and Mark Schoenberg; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at St. Richard's Catholic Church. A reception will follow the service. Interment is in St. Richard's Catholic Cemetery under the direction of Columbia Mortuary.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wings, the Columbia Falls Food Pantry, or the charity of the donor's choice.