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A funeral Mass for Bertha Obrigewitch, 100, of Belfield will be 1 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Belfield with Rev. William Ruelle celebrating. Burial will follow in St. Bernard’s Cemetery.
Visitation for Bertha will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., today, at Stevenson Funeral Home in Dickinson continuing at 5 p.m., with a rosary and vigil service being held at 7 p.m. at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Belfield. Visitation will continue on Wednesday one hour prior to the Mass at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church
Bertha “Bert” Obrigewitch, died at 8:10 p.m. Thursday at St. Benedict’s Health Center in Dickinson.
Bertha was born on June 1, 1912, in South America in the pampas near the town of Machachin, Argentina to Liberatus and Celestina (Heck) Schaeffer. Bertha was baptized in Machachin, South America by a missionary priest of the Divine Word Society from Buenos Aires. No decision could be made on a name, and this missionary priest settled the conflict and thus this baby girl was named Catherine Bertha Mary Margaret.
The promise of free land for homesteaders in the United States offered a new and prosperous life for the young Schaeffer family, and they arrived in the USA on May 12, 1914. Their family traveled to Albion, Nebraska and then came to Dickinson in the winter of 1916. Bertha made her First communion and was confirmed at the St. Thomas Church at Gladstone in 1922. They lived in and around Dickinson until 1925 and then moved to a farm 25 miles south of Belfield in the Amidon area. Bertha graduated with honors from the eighth grade in 1927 from a small country school near their farm.
On Nov. 24, 1931, Bertha married Anton (Tony) Obrigewitch at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church at Amidon. Bertha and Tony made their home farming and ranching northeast of Belfield along the Green River where they raised 13 children. Bertha was deeply devoted to her Catholic faith and often prayed the rosary and other prayers. Bertha often said that the rosary was her best friend and sometimes her weapon. She was devoted to her family and to her grandchildren, who believed she was the perfect Grandma.
Bertha enjoyed gardening and raising poultry and was very interested in genealogy. Other interests included reading and working crossword puzzles.
She was a member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, the Third Order of St. Francis, Christian Mother’s-St. Bernadette’s Guild, Catholics of the Golden Age, the Germans from Russia Heritage Society, American Association for Retired Persons and the Billings County Historical Society.
Bertha is survived by her children, Charlotte Hlebechuk, Belfield; Cliff Obrigewitch, Sentinel Butte; Gloria Weber, Joliet, Mont.; Claude (Ruth) Obrigewitch, Belfield; Maurice (Bernette) Obrigewitch, Belfield; Bertram (Bud) Obrigewitch, Belfield; Val (Carol) Obrigewitch, Sentinel Butte; Rose Mary Obrigewitch, Seattle, Wash.; Juanita (Nita) Talkington (Curt), Belfield; Tony Obrigewitch, Belfield; Tim Obrigewitch, Meadow, S.D. and Terry Obrigewitch, Meadow, S.D.; one sister, Ida Schaefer, Dickinson; 42 grandchildren; 84 great grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and many friends who will miss her company and caring.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, who died July 26, 1980; one son, Gerald Obrigewitch; two sons-in-law, Albert Hlebechuk, Jerry Weber; three daughters-in-law, Gertie Obrigewitch, Karen Obrigewitch, Cecilia Obrigewitch; one grandson, Bill Hlebechuk, and three infant granddaughters; one infant great-grandson; four brothers and sisters-in-law, Nick (Myrtle), Joe (Ann), J. Phillip, baby boy Philipp Schaeffer; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Monica (Ross) Olds, Mary Ann (Ernest) Rau, and Rose (Robert) Rotering.
Goodbye, Auf Wiedersehen, Adios, and Liebe dear Mother, Grandmother, sister and friend. Vaya Con Dios!
In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Belfield.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com
Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson
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