KATHERINE MARGARET HACKNEY BERTELSEN
1924-2021
Katherine Margaret Hackney Bertelsen, known to many in her family as “Saint Katherine” was born at home in Houston on November
17, 1924 and passed away on September 3, 2021. She was 96.
Beloved by all, she always put others above herself. She attended Montrose Elementary School, Lanier Junior High School and graduated from Lamar High School in 1942. She regularly published a newsletter for her Lamar class and received hundreds of letters giving updates. Her classmates were delighted.
She served on the alumni board of Lamar and loved it.
In 1946, she graduated from Baylor University where she was a member of the Athenean Club (now Kappa Kappa Gamma) and was listed in Who’s Who.
Following college, she worked for the Humble Company (Exxon) writing the oil reports by hand every Friday.
In 1948, she married Elmer Howard Bertelsen after his discharge from the Coast Guard. He was an avid writer and worked for the Houston Chronicle for 43 years, winning many awards.
Katherine was a valued friend, devoted mother and relative. She was an expert carpool driver, WMU and PTA member and Christmas cookie baker extraordinaire. It was rumored that brawls broke out in some homes over who would get to eat which cookies once they were delivered.
She loved all family members and friends and had an unmatched gift of keeping up with everyone from kindergarten on up. But it was spending time with her two grandchildren, Brian and Brad Hill, which brought her the most joy in life.
She was a member of First Baptist Church, Houston.
During the last decade of her life, Katherine was almost completely blind and deaf.
She never complained about her handicaps or any other hardship she faced in life. If someone told her she was beautiful, she replied, “I didn’t know you were blind, too!”
She was the first recipient of the Inspire Happiness Award at Parkway Place, where she lived during her final years. Both employees and residents there were kind to her and helped her in every way possible.
Katherine is survived by her daughter, Amy Bertelsen Hill, and her two grandchildren, Brian David Hill and his partner Jordan Kepsel, and Bradley Grayson Hill. She also leaves a cousin, Sallie McCutcheon of Phoenix, many nieces and nephews and their families and others whom she loved dearly.
She was preceded in death by her parents Claude and Margaret Hackney, her son, Gary Hubert Bertelsen, her husband, Elmer Howard Bertelsen and her sister, Rosemary Hackney Smith. At Katherine’s request, there will be no funeral. However, a visitation with the family may be planned for a later date. Her life was a witness to the love of Jesus Christ, her best friend, with whom she now resides.