Bertha "Birdie" (Brunsen) Leerar

Bertha (Brunsen) Leerar, 87, of Britt, passed away peacefully Friday, March 10, 2017 at Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt with family at her side. Memorial services for Bertha Leerar will be held Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 6:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Chapel, 178 Center Street West in Britt with Pastor Willie Rosin officiating. Graveside services for Bertha Leerar will be held Friday, March 17, 2017 at sunrise at 7:24 AM at Evergreen Cemetery in Britt. A Memorial Gathering for Bertha Leerar will be held on Thursday, March 16, 2017 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the funeral home prior to the memorial service. Bertha Mary Brunsen was born to August and Hannah (Bruns) Brunsen on December 31, 1929. She lived on the family farm north of Woden and attended rural school there with her 8 siblings, John Brunsen, Herbert Brunsen, Fritz Brunsen, Anna Kindl, Henry Brunsen, Burdella Purdy, August (Buddy) Brunsen Jr., and Betty Sherman. She attended high school in Britt and graduated in 1948. After graduation, she worked at the Federated Store in Britt. On March 11, 1952, she married Alvin Leerar at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. They quickly set to farming and raised 5 children: Joyce (Mark) Owen of Des Moines, IA; Judy (Jerry) Carlson of Ankeny, IA; Michael (Jeannie) Leerar of Eckley, CO; Thomas Leerar Sr. of Gardner, KS; Jolene (Alex) Eischen of Wesley, IA. She was blessed with 9 grandchildren: Jerrod (Brandy) Carlson of Greeley, CO; Joel Carlson of Belmond, IA; JacLyn (Kelly) Steele of Silver Lake, KS; Lauren Snowden of Chicago, IL; Thomas Jr. (Savannah) Leerar of Gardner, KS; Sarah (Marcus)Williams of Moody Air Force Base, GA; Lucas, Kara, and LeeAnn Eischen of Wesley, IA; and doubly blessed with 6 great-grandchildren: Kaleb and Emma Carlson; Gabriel and Elijah Williams; Bryn Carlson; and Lucy Leerar. Memorials may be made to the West Hancock Ambulance Service (WHAS) or the American Cancer Society.