On June 15, 1929, Berta Lou Bleam was born to Ralph & Dorothy (Heller) McFarland. Older brother Arvid was proud of his baby sister. Berta passed away on November 5, 2021, at Parkview Care Center at the age of 92.
As a child she enjoyed playing with her dolls & playhouses. Sometimes Arvid would talk her into playing "Cowboys & Indians" or "Cops & Robbers." Berta attended Columbia Grade School, a rural one room school. The school was one mile from home, & she walked it every day, weather permitting. She graduated from Glen Elder High School in 1947. She took the Normal Training Course & started teaching in the fall of 1947. She taught for 3 years. During this time, she met & dated Carl Zemke. They married on June 9, 1951. They lived on a farm 5 miles north of Hunter, Kansas. Carl died July 1, 1964, at the age of 35.
That fall, Berta enrolled in Brown Mackie Business School in Salina. After she completed her course work, she worked at the Beloit Hospital in the Medical Records Department. Later, she went to work for Dr. A. L. Scherer in Osborne. It was there she met Robert "Bob" Bleam. They were married May 12, 1968.
Berta & Bob lived in Osborne. Berta continued working & Bob drove back & forth to the farm daily. After Dr. Scherer moved from Osborne Berta worked briefly at Parkview Care Center & then the Osborne County Register of Deeds office. She retired January 1, 1995. Beloved husband Bob passed away November 3, 2015.
Berta was a member of the Osborne United Methodist Church & the Church's Evening Circle.
Preceding her in death were her parents, husbands Carl Zemke & Bob Bleam; brother & sister-in-law Arvid & Geneva McFarland; sister-in-law & husband Margaret & Roy Hanson, & nephew Larry McFarland.
Survivors include nieces & nephews, great nieces & great nephews & many close friends.
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