Berta E. Elsner

Berta Elsie (Weich) Elsner passed away peacefully the morning of March 23, 2014 in Hastings, Michigan.  She was born on July 19, 1925 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the first child of Adolph Weich and Alvina (Zache) Weich.  After attending New Troy High School, Bert earned her cosmetology license at the Geisler Beauty Academy.  Together, along with her younger sister, Adeline, they owned and operated the Pleasant St. Beauty Shop in St. Joseph, Michigan in the 1940’s. On June 21, 1947 Bert married her sweetheart, Emil “Ace” Elsner, in St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Benton Harbor.  She eventually opened a salon in their home called Connie’s Beauty Shop. On June 26, 1967, Bert became a deputy clerk working in the County Clerk’s office in St. Joseph.  She continued working there until her retirement 20 years later on January 7, 1987. Bert was a loyal and faithful fan of the Benton Harbor High School Tigers basketball teams.  For 25 years she sat right behind the teams while her husband, Ace, first coached the Junior Varsity teams with Don Farnum at his side as the Head Varsity Coach and then later as Head Coach after Don retired.  Bert cheered them on at all of the home games and also attended most of the away games. Bert joined the Kappa Theta Chi Sorority, a women’s service league, in 1943.  She always enjoyed working at the various events and projects the group sponsored to benefit local charities.  True to her giving nature, she also participated in volunteer work from June 1993 to November 2006 at the Lakeland Medical Center (the former Memorial Hospital). In her leisure time, Bert enjoyed golfing with her husband, Ace, and many of their friends.  She was always ready for a game of bridge and belonged to several different bridge clubs with their friends.  She also liked to work in her flower beds.  Bert always had the time to decorate the house especially for the different, various seasons and holidays.  And she certainly would never turn down the chance to stop at an antique shop or, especially, a garage sale which she enjoyed having herself. But Bert’s true passion was family.  She always looked forward to family get-togethers.  And she so loved all of her nieces and nephews, feeling as if they were her own children. Bert is pre-deceased by her husband of 65 years, Emil “Ace” Elsner, her parents, Adolph and Alvina Weich, her younger sister and brother-in-law, Adeline and Eddie Kuball, and her younger brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Marge Weich.  She is survived by her daughter, Connie Elsner, her son-in-law, David Haan; her younger brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Bonnie Weich, her niece, Kathy Woodrick and her family and her two nephews, Richard Weich and Heath Weich and their families; her niece, Barbara McCoy and her family and her nephew, Douglas Kuball and his family; her niece, Amy Flaga and her family; her sister-in-law, Theresa Elsner and her four nephews, Thomas Elsner, James Elsner, Gary Elsner, and Erwin (Duke) Elsner and their families. Friends may visit with the family from 4:00 until 7:00 P.M. Wednesday at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph.  A Celebration of Life Eternal will be held 1:00 P.M. Thursday at Grace Lutheran Church, 404 E. Glenlord Rd., St. Joseph, with Rev. Glenn Rosenbaum officiating.  Burial will follow at Ruggles Cemetery, Baroda.  In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Bert can be made to Grace Lutheran Church.  Those wishing to sign Bert’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.