Herta Elfrieda Bansen

Herta E. Bansen, 91, of St. Joseph, passed away on Sunday, July 8, 2007, at The Willows in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 A.M., on Wednesday, July 11, 2007, at Oakridge Baptist Church, 766 Oakridge Dr., St. Joseph with Rev. Dave Broome officiating. Burial will follow in North Shore Memory Gardens in Coloma. Friends may visit with the family from 6-8 P.M., on Tuesday, July 10, 2007, at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorial donations may be made to Oakridge Baptist Church. Friends may send the family a condolence message or sign the guest book on-line at www.starks-menchinger.com. Herta was born to Karl and Johanna (Guddey) Gerber on February 29, 1916 in Rudau, Germany. She met her husband Albert Bansen in Germany. Later they were married on March 23, 1935 in Rudau and they had one son, Ginter. In 1955 her family immigrated to the United States where she was a charter member of the Clay Street (now Oakridge) Baptist Church. Herta was a homemaker and she also helped her husband build houses. She wrote poems and wrote and directed plays at the church. She enjoyed sewing and made her own clothes. Herta also enjoyed gardening and babysitting her grandchildren. Herta is survived by her son, Ginter (Ursela) Bansen of Riverside, MI; grandchildren, Aaron and Rachel Bansen of Riverside, MI; brother-in-law, Henry (Annemarie) Bansen of Muskegon, MI; sisters-in-law, Hedwig Bansen of Germany and Ursula Bansen of St. Joseph; and numerous nieces and nephews. Herta was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Albert on December 24, 2003; infant son, Lothar; sister, Gertrud (Robert) Bansen; and brothers, Herbert and Arthur Gerber.