Bertha E. VENNEKOTTER

Bertha E. Schnipke, 89, of Miller City, died 4:35 pm Thursday, March 3, 2011 at St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima. She was born December 26, 1921 in Cuba, OH to the late Bernard and Mary (Bockrath) Vennekotter. On April 15, 1942, she married Isidore B."Ike" Schnipke and he died November 23, 2001. Surviving are 9 children: Bernard (Edna) Schnipke of Miller City, James (Jan) Schnipke of Ottawa, Jerome (Sharon) Schnipke of Miller City, Mary Ann Schroeder of Miller City, Francis (Bernadette) Schnipke of Miller City, David (Deb) Schnipke of Miller City, Gregory (Nancy) Schnipke of Miller City, Lawrence (Julie) Schnipke of Miller City, Isidore "Izzy" (Vickie) Schnipke, Jr. of Miller City; 41 grandchildren; 68 great-grandchildren; a brother: Oscar (Esther) Vennekotter of Miller City; 3 sisters: Laura Recker of Glandorf, Norma Ellerbrock of Glandorf and Florence Verhoff of Ottawa; 2 sisters-in-law: Thelma Vennekotter of Glandorf and Maria (Charles) Kidd of Ottawa. She was preceded in death also by a son-in-law: Gerald Schroeder; 2 brothers: Norbert and Otto Vennekotter and 3 brothers-in-law: Joseph Recker, Thomas Ellerbrock and James Verhoff. Mrs. Schnipke was a farmer, a homemaker, co-owner and operator of Club 108 in Miller City and had been a bookkeeper for Henry Motor Sales in Continental. She was a member of St. Nicholas Catholic Church, Miller City, its Altar Rosary Society and Catholic Ladies of Columbia. She was a graduate of Miller City High School where she was valedictorian. Bertha loved and cherished her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was an outdoors person as well as an avid quilter, gardener and horticulturist. She enjoyed eating and sharing the fruits and vegetables she grew. A Mass of Christian burial will be held 10:00 am Monday, March 7, 2011 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, Miller City with Fr. Robert DeSloover officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Comments