Bertha Fikse was born May 31, 1927, to William and Bertha (Bosch) Doeksen in Hull, Iowa. Her mother passed away following childbirth. William was unable to care for his large family by himself and Bertha’s aunt, Fannie, had been given a vision that she would have another child. Together, they decided that Bertha would be raised with Fannie (Bosch) and Ralph Zwart in Rock Valley, Iowa. Bertha was the eighth child on both sides of her family. She attended country school in Rock Valley and graduated from Hills High School in Hills, Minnesota, in 1944. After graduating, Bertha worked as a waitress at a restaurant in Rock Rapids, Iowa. While at church, she met the love of her life, Andy Fikse, who saw her and immediately said, “That’s the girl for me!” The couple were united in marriage on December 4, 1945, at the rural home of her parents Ralph and Fannie Zwart, south of Luverne, Minnesota. The couple made their home on the east side of Luverne, where they had their three children, Virginia Mae, Arla Jean, and Darrell Lee. She and Dad worked together on the farm. They later relocated to Andy’s parents' farm near Steen, Minnesota, where they raised their three children. In 1973, they moved to a farm near Woodstock, Minnesota. In April of 2022, Bertha moved to Ridge View Estates in Pipestone. In June of 2023, Bertha entered the care of the Pipestone County Hospice House and remained there until she passed.
As the kids grew up, Bertha started working with various catalog stores, including Montgomery Ward, Sears & Roebuck, and JCPenney; a business women’s position she held for 32 years. In 1969 Bertha purchased the Montgomery Wards Store in Rock Rapids, Iowa, and in 1975 she purchased the Wards Store in Pipestone. Ten years later in 1985 when Wards closed their stores, she opened a JCPenney store in the spring of 1986, and later also opened a JCPenney store in Luverne.
Faith and family were vitally important to Bertha. Being home to raise her children gave her an opportunity to instill in them faith in Jesus Christ and a strong work ethic. She and Dad raised their children in the Christian Reformed Church of Luverne, and later in the American Reformed Church of Luverne. After moving to Woodstock they were members of the Woodstock Community Church. In those various churches she was active in teaching Sunday School, VBS, youth group leader, ladies aid, Bible Study circle, and volunteering at Bibles for Missions thrift store, Volunteers in Mercy, and the hospital gift shop. She hosted a weekly ladies Bible Study in her home for many years. While at the American Reformed church she and Dad also enjoyed a couples church volleyball group. Bertha enjoyed cooking and baking, and her family was especially fond of her canned meat and apple sauce. Bertha was a seamstress in her early years, providing clothing for herself and her daughters. She enjoyed traveling with Dad, especially gospel music concerts; crocheting doilies and afghans; playing cards with her friends; and reading and fixing puzzles. Of all the things she enjoyed, her favorite pastime was spending time with her family and friends. On Thursday, February 8, 2024, she passed away peacefully at the hospice house at the age of 96.
Bertha is survived by her children, Virginia “Ginny” (Ray) Tilstra of Dekalb, Illinois, Arla (Robert “Bob”) Feikema of Luverne, and Darrell (Jeanne) Fikse of Woodstock, Minnesota; her grandchildren, Kathy TeBrink, Shawn Tilstra, Chad Feikema, Michele Van Dyke, Sheri Malm, Jeff Fikse, Jason Fikse, and Amanda Fikse; sixteen great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Andy Fikse; grandson, Michael Fikse; parents, William and Bertha (Bosch) Doeksen and Ralph and Fannie (Bosch) Zwart; Doeksen siblings, baby Peter, Bill, John, Fannie, Duke, Pete, Kathryn, and Mina; Zwart siblings, Rueben, John, Winifred, Fannie, Ed, Henrietta, and Jeanette; and several nieces and nephews.