Bert Saville

Bert Saville, 82, passed from death to eternal life in heaven on Monday evening, November 20, 2017, with his family by his side, reciting scripture and singing hymns, at the home of his daughter Alicia and son-in-law Larry Cannon in Houston, Texas.

Bert was born January 24,1935 in Dumfries, Scotland, to George and Robina Saville, the second youngest of five children. As a boy he fished salmon, hunted rabbit with his pet ferret Tommy, and ran the hills of Scotland with his siblings and friends. He witnessed WWII German army prisoners parading by his school as a lad. He recalled being asked by an army instructor to demonstrate his fast rope climbing, during physical exercises at the prisoner barracks near where he lived, the instructor said, “That is how you climb boys!” His oldest brother George James Saville immigrated to America and helped to immigrate across the pond by ship, fifteen year old Bert and his younger sister Cathie, in 1950. Bert lived and worked on a dairy farm, Twin Valley Farm, in Pepperell, Massachusetts. A few years later he followed his family to Jaffrey, NH. Through his brother’s connections, Bert met the love of his life, Linda Niemela of Dublin, NH. They married, in Dublin, NH on September 10, 1960.

Bert, heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and became a Christian, at age 33. He and Linda lived in Peterborough, NH, where they raised their four children, Robert Martin, Jeffrey Scott, Alicia Maria, and Rachel Lynn. Moving became a way of life starting from Peterborough, NH to Jaffrey, NH and then Rindge, NH. Bert and Lindas desire and dedication to learning and growing as a Christian family from the word of God, guided their Christian walk and path to move his family to Houston, Texas in 1979.

Bert was never one to sit still. He started milking cows and caring for heifers at 15, became a carpenter apprentice to a master carpenter in his twenties, janitor, snow plowing in NH, landlord, and self-employed in the custom home building and remodeling trade in New England and Texas. Bert could build or repair anything, build custom cabinets, furniture, turn spindles, and carve. He raised farm animals, pheasants, gardened, played tennis, (even built his own tennis court). However, golfing was Bert’s sport, driving a 265-yard golf ball, used as a marker just weeks before he passed.

As a young man, he took oil painting classes and began painting again in his later years. He enjoyed giving his artistic paintings as gifts to many family and friends. While there is so much more to be shared about Bert, the most important priority on his mind was witnessing for Christ, to anyone, anytime and anywhere. He enjoyed many early Saturday morning prayer breakfasts with the men at West Houston Bible Church. They loved his fried tomatoes! Bert went to his last prayer breakfast the Saturday before he passed away, cancer stricken, determined and still able to pray.

As a husband, father and friend, we all will miss him very much.

He is survived by wife of 57 years Linda Niemela Saville and their four children, Robert, Jeffrey, Alicia and Rachel; his grandson, Zachary and grand-daughters, Hannah, Lela, Carli, Jade, and Mia; his daughters-in-law, Edie Saville and Cheri Saville; his sons-in-law, Larry Cannon and Scott Simmons, all of Houston, Texas; his sister, Cathie Coll of Jaffrey, NH, his step-brother, Alex Saville of Dumfries, Scotland and his step-sister, Esme Saville Anderson of Utah. Bert was preceded in death by his parents, George James Saville and Robina Christina (Shields) Saville, along with sister, Margaret Aborn and brothers, George James “Scotty” Saville, and Rennie Saville.

Services:

Visitation for Bert Saville

Friday, December 1, 2017, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Katy Funeral Home

23350 Kingsland Blvd.

Katy, Texas 77494

(281) 395-7070 www.katyfh.com

Graveside Service for family and friends

Saturday, December 2, 2017, 10:00 a.m.

Memorial Oaks Cemetery

13001 Katy Freeway

Houston, Texas 77079

(281) 497-2210

Memorial Service and Reception for family and friends

Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 11:30 a.m.

West Houston Bible Church

1500 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N., Suite #104

Houston, Texas 77043

(713) 468-0900

For those that are unable to make the services, the Memorial Service will be live streamed here:

http://www.deanbibleministries.org/live