Obituary of Charles Bertling

DYERSVILLE, IOWA Charles "Chuck" Bertling passed away on June 14, 2014 at the age of 80 from complications of melanoma cancer. He died peacefully surrounded by family at his home in the Ellen Kennedy Living Center (EKLC). He will be remembered at a celebratory gathering from 1 - 4 p.m. on Saturday June 21st at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville IA. Interment will be at a later date. Chuck was born on May 10, 1934 at home in Worthington to Roman and Rose (Lola Digman) Bertling, graduated from St. Paul School in Worthington in 1952 and enlisted in the Navy in 1954. In 1957 he married the love of his life Mary Alice Sadler at St. Paul's Church in Worthington IA and enjoyed 56 years of marriage Chuck's career as a communications technician in naval aviation sent him all across the U.S., living in locations from Maryland to Hawaii. His three sons were all born in different states. Over his career he saw communications progress from Morse Code to satellites and he progressed along with it. Flying with patrol squadrons in the Pacific theater, Chuck went to India, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand. In 1975, he retired with over 20 years of service and the family moved back to Iowa. There he started another career delivering mail from the Dyersville Post Office to over 300 customers six days a week in all kinds of weather as a rural route carrier. He retired after 19 years in 1996 at the age of 62 and he and Mary began their journey as RVers. For the rest of his life, they migrated south for the winter spending the last 15 winters in Pharr Texas. During their travels, Chuck and Mary managed to see all 50 states and drove all the way from Key West Florida to Anchorage Alaska one year. Chuck raised three wonderful sons and participated in all of their activities including coaching baseball teams and working with Boy Scout troops. In Dyersville, with Troop 60, Chuck helped many young men, including his own sons, become Eagle Scouts. He also served three years on Keystone Area Education Agency 1, Board of Education. In his younger days, his hobbies were baseball and hunting. Since moving to the EKLC in 2003, he spent many hours tending flower beds and vegetable gardens and helping any resident who needed it. His passion was cards, though and was always ready for a game of euchre or 500. Survivors include his wife Mary (Sadler), sons Sam in Chicago IL, Tim, wife Alicia and daughter Abby in Tabernash CO, and Pete, wife Sinem and son Troy in Monroe WI. Siblings Roman (Buck) (Margret) in Worthington IA, Elizabeth (Betty) Ockenfels in Iowa City IA, and Madonna (Donna) (Norb) Manternach in Monticello IA. His in-laws Robert (Anna Mae) Sadler in St. Catherines IA, Suzanne (Alvin) Blum in Dubuque IA, Michael (Elaine) Sadler in Strawberry Point IA, and John (Mary Ann) Sadler in California MD. Plus many nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents, parents-in-law, brother-in-law Richard Ockefels and niece Laura Sadler. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please make a donation to the Charles Bertling Memorial Fund to benefit the EKLC.