Bertha "Bert" Mae Spaeder

Bertha Mae Spaeder of Fullerton, CA, died peacefully at home on Dec. 23, 2018, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She was 81 years old. “Bert” was born on March 4, 1937, in Newcastle, PA, and later graduated in 1955 from Academy High School in Erie, PA.  It was on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, 1960, that Bert married her best friend and true love, Gerald J. “Jerry” Spaeder Sr. The newlyweds moved to Monroeville, PA, where Bert began making their house a home and Jerry began working in the U.S. Steel Research Center. They welcomed their firstborn, Jerry Jr., into the world in 1962, and their second son, Gregory, arrived a short 15 months later. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Greg died suddenly just two weeks after his birth. Ever rooted in their Catholic faith, however, Bert and Jerry continued to trust in God’s plan and, in the years that followed, added four daughters to their family: Cathy, Mary, Joan and Karen. As it turns out, God’s plan also included moving away from their home state when Jerry accepted a position in Chicago and the family moved to Wheaton, IL, in 1975. Guided by faith and their unbreakable bond together, Bert and Jerry embraced a new life that included building lifelong friendships in the community as well as serving St. Michael’s Church in countless ways. Ten years later, their work expanded even farther to the West Coast, when Jerry again accepted a new position with his company. It was a frigid day in 1985 when the family moved to Fullerton, CA, where Bert and Jerry would ultimately spend their last days. The move to California, although an exciting adventure and a welcome respite from Chicago temperatures, was also a tremendous change and a new challenge for the entire Spaeder clan. While Jerry Jr. and Cathy finished their college education at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Mary completed her senior year at St. Francis High School in Wheaton, and Bert and Jerry flew to California with Joan and Karen. Once again, Bert began the process of building a new home and new friendships — and once again, the church anchored the family into their new community, this time at St. Juliana Falconieri in Fullerton. At St. Juliana, Bert’s gifts and talents revealed themselves in ways large and small as she devoted herself to service of the church. After a stint working in the school office and in the library at neighboring Rosary High School (now Rosary Academy), where Joan and Karen attended high school, Bert became the parish secretary at St. Juliana. She quickly settled into her new role and became the “go to” person for every parish office need. Meanwhile, she sang with the choir every Sunday and in various holiday concerts at the church. With Jerry’s death in 2006, Bert continued to immerse herself in church service and in spending time with her children and grandchildren. Kind, compassionate, warm-hearted and a friend to all, Bert brought laughter and smiles to the parish office for over two decades before retiring in 2011. One Halloween, she and her cohorts dressed as Catholic nuns and visited a classroom of St. Juliana School students — who were none the wiser that Bert and the parish office crew were hiding beneath their habits. Bert pursued many creative endeavors, including piano playing, cooking and writing, and she was a talented seamstress. She handmade several gowns for both Joan and Karen, who proudly wore them to school dances and events. For every holiday, Bert turned to family recipes to create delicious desserts and dishes, such as cinnamon rolls, sweet breads, donuts, casseroles, and traditional German meals such as pork roast with sauerkraut — a favorite “good luck” meal the family always enjoys on New Year’s Day. Her special touch was evident throughout the home in the thoughtful presentation of holiday decorations, flower arrangements and family heirlooms. Bert is survived by her children, Jerry Jr., Cathy Golden, Mary Spaeder Gomez, Joan Spaeder Younkin, Karen Spaeder; nine grandchildren, Sophia, Riley, Maria, Ryan, Annabella, Aiden, Everett, Ava, Grace; her brothers, Joseph Ballas and James Ballas, and sister Marie Hanes of Erie, PA; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Ballas and Armella Shappell; her stepfather, John Shappell; her son Gregory; her husband, Gerald J. Spaeder Sr.; and her sister Jane Cummings. A rosary reading will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, at St. Juliana Falconieri Catholic Church; funeral services will take place at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, also at St. Juliana, with a reception to follow in the parish center. Burial will be held the same day at 2 p.m. at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery. Attendees are encouraged to wear a splash of red, a favorite color of Bert’s and a representation of her beautiful, lively spirit. To further honor Bert’s legacy, donations are welcome to St. Juliana Falconieri Church. Services arranged for by McAulay & Wallace Mortuary, Fullerton.