Rapid City – Bertha J. Denke, 97, died Friday, December 6, 2024 at Good Samaritan Society – St. Martin Village.

She was born in Chestnut, Illinois on July 15, 1927. She was the first of twins, the other being a boy. She was the daughter of Robert C. and Ida M. (Tipsword) Ross. She also had three other brothers and two sisters.

She lived in the Decatur, Illinois area until 1956, moving to Corpus Christi, Texas, where she lived until 1975. She worked there at a grocery food store chain as a grocery checker for 15 years.

She married Benjamin R. Denke on August 14th, 1975 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Corpus Christi.

They moved to Rapid City, SD where she worked at the westside Safeway Store in the Floral Department for 6 and one half years, retiring in 1986. Her husband Ben died July 17, 2016 and Bert continued to live in Rapid City.

Bertha was preceded in death by her parents, husband, four brothers: Donald, Robert, Bryon, and Harold, and two sisters: Barbara Britton and Gladys Garrett.

Her funeral service will be 11:30 am Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home with visitation starting at 10:30 am. The Burial Service will be at 1:30 pm at Black Hills National Cemetery.

Arrangements with www.osheimschmidt.com