Bertha J. Hofer, age 83, of Huron, died Sunday, August 7, 2016, at the SunQuest Health Care Center. Her funeral service was held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, August 10th at Prairie Bible Church, rural Carpenter. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Bertha Julia Kleinsasser was born on December 17, 1932, to Joe K. and Julia (Schrag) Kleinsasser on a farm northwest of Freeman, South Dakota. She was the seventh child in a family of eleven children.
As a child, Bertha accepted Jesus as her personal Savior during revival meetings. Upon confession of her faith, she was baptized December 1, 1946, by Rev. Jacob B. Hofer and became a member of Hutterthal Mennonite Church of Freeman. She was a member there until her marriage; then transferred her membership to the Hutterthal Mennonite Church of Carpenter until the time of her death.
After graduating from Freeman Academy in 1950, she attended Freeman Junior College and completed the teacher training in 1952. She taught at Foote School in Barrett Township, Beadle County for two years.
On August 17, 1952, she married Jake A. Gross at Pioneer Hall in Freeman and then moved to his family farm near Carpenter. This marriage was blessed with five children: Clyde, Layne, Myron, Corinne, and Owen. Jake passed away on October 23, 1980. Bertha was a loving and devoted caregiver during his seven year battle with cancer. They were married for 28 years.
On September 12, 1987, she married Eldon P. Hofer and moved to his farm near Hitchcock, South Dakota. They were married 28 years. In August of 2003, they moved to Huron, South Dakota.
In December 2013, Bertha became a resident of SunQuest Healthcare Center until her death on August 7, 2016.
Bertha was active in her church, teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She sang in the choir and ladies trio, played piano for the Men's chorus, and served in various jobs for the Christian Helping Hands. She enjoyed attending and teaching a ladies Bible study. Her greatest heritage was providing a Christian foundation for her children.
Bertha loved music, especially gospel hymns. She enjoyed planting flowers each spring and watching God's handiwork in nature. Preparing special meals for holidays was a labor of love for her grandchildren.
Left to mourn her passing are her husband, Eldon of Huron; sons, Clyde (Dayle) Gross of Huron, Myron (Starla) Gross of Frankfort and Owen (Michelle) Gross of Carpenter; daughter, Corinne (Larry) Harre of Kearney, Nebraska; daughter-in-law, Dawn Gross of Indianola, Iowa; step-son, Greg (Lisa) Hofer of Hitchcock; step-daughter, Lori (Mark) Robish of Huron; brother, Amos (Kathryn) Kleinsasser of Freeman; sisters, Sarah Stahl of Freeman, Joann Stahl of Bridgewater and Ruby (Gary) Hughes of Shakopee, Minnesota; eighteen grandchildren, Dani Johannesen, Chad Wilde, Katie Gross, Ryan Gross, Savanah Gross, Evan Gross, Samuel Harre, Joseph Harre, Jodi Gross, Erika (Will) Brown, Jacob Gross, Allison (Joseph) Ness, Dwight (Rashelle) Hofer, Ethan Hofer, Erica (Cody) Schilling, Kelsey (Amil) Anderson, Mandi (Craig) Holbeck and Damen Robish; and four great-grandchildren, Ashlynn, Josie and Jessica Ness and Roslyn Anderson.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jake; son, Layne; brother, Silas; and sisters, Iva Kleinsasser, Adella Walter Gross, Mary Wollmann, Katheryn Graber, and Fern Kaufman.