Bertha Hill Bruschi

Born at home in Jamaica, New York, Bertha was the youngest of seven children born to Norwegian-Dutch immigrants, Hershey Seth Hill and Bertha Haaland Hill. All have preceded her in death. She attended PS 33 in Queens Village and graduated from Jamaica Hill School in 1939. She entered nursing school at Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn New York where she met and married Marco who was finishing his residency at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University.

They traveled across the country and settled in Bakersfield in 1949 where Marco set up his practice in Internal Medicine. From the very beginning, Bertha took an active role in her commitment to church and community. She was an active member of St. John's Lutheran Church. She was involved in various community activities for over 60 years, serving as Girl Scout and Cub Scout Leader. She generously gave her time to Community Theatre, the Cancer Society, March of Dimes, TB Association, Kern Philharmonic, and also served with the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Heart Association, Glaucoma Clinic, School Health Advisory Committee, Guidance Guild, School Health Advisory Committee, Medical-Auxiliary GEM, Liberty Bell Foundation and Library Associates. She was Emeritus Sustainer of the Junior League of Bakersfield in 2008 which she had been a member of since 1954.

Bertha was an advocate for children and possessed a long history of involvement in education. She was a room mother at Roosevelt Elementary, serving as a member of the Board of the PTA, Parliamentarian for the Bakersfield Council PTA and as a member, Secretary and President of the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education.

Bertha also used her talents and skills as a Kern County Board of Education Trustee for 21 years, and also served as Commissioner on the Kern County Services Financing Authority and the County Committee of School Districts.

After a lifetime of contributions to public education, she elected to retire in 2008 at the age of 86 from the Kern County Board of Education but continued to be a supportive, concerned and contributing member of all organizations which she had been a part and to actively serve.

Bertha deeply loved her husband and supported him in his ventures of filmmaking and education of Valley Fever. She loved to dance with her husband and later with her grandson, Mark, around the house while they were doing housework. She was a prolific letter writer, a supporter of all that was good in life. She was the cornerstone of the family who stood by all in their moments of glory and defeat.

She was never heard to say a bad word about anyone and had a wonderful ability to forgive and forget.

She loved God above all else and was anxious to return to her heavenly home and be with her loved ones. She was proceeded in death by her sons, Marco Wesley Bruschi and Richard Edwin Bruschi. She lost her beloved husband, Marco Bruschi, M.D. on Thanksgiving Day, 1999. She is survived by her daughter, Barbara Ann Faessel; grandchildren Amy Elizabeth Dahl, Matthew Faessel, Mark Faessel, Laura Nye, Anne Fernandez, Marco Bruschi and Zac Bruschi; great-grandchildren Elizabeth Dahl, Madeline Dahl, Ashley Dahl, Taylor Nye, Ethan Nye, Gabriel Fernandez, Alivia Fernandez and Tucker Tones; daughter-in-law Janet Bruschi,; great-daughter-in-law Amber Faessel and great son-in-laws Jim Dahl and Leo Fernandez.

Visitation will be at Mish Funeral Home on Friday, October 28 between the hours of 4-8 p.m. Services will be held at St. John's Lutheran Church at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday with interment following at Hillcrest Memorial Park. A reception will follow. Donations to St. John's Lutheran Church Building Fund would be appreciated and honored by the family in lieu of flowers.