Verlee Bertelsen

Verlee Bertelsen, 88, of East Moline, IL, died Tuesday, January 3, 2017, at Hope Creek Care Center, East Moline, IL.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 7, 2017, at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd., 6601 38th Avenue, Moline.  Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.  Burial will be at Rose Lawn Memorial Estate.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, or because of a special place in Verlee’s heart, William Fox Developmental Center, Special Funds, 134 West Main Street, Dwight, Illinois, 60420.

The former Verlee Lear was born on May 17, 1928, in Rushville, IL, the daughter of Clyde and Bessie Jones Lear.  Verlee graduated in the January class of 1947 from Moline High School.  She married the love of her life, Andrew Bertelsen, on November 14, 1948, in Moline.  She loved her husband and deeply missed him since his death in 1983.  Ironically, her burial date is the anniversary of his untimely death at age 55.

Verlee will be remembered for being active in PTA at McKinley School in Moline.  She found herself involved in the Brownie troop, and served on many different boards.  For two decades, Verlee was an Avon Lady.  In later years, she returned to school and was employed by IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union.

Survivors include her daughters, Karen (John) Cockerill, Moline, IL, and Sandra Bertelsen, Fox Center, Dwight, IL; grandsons, Andrew (Liz) Cockerill, East Moline, IL, and Caleb Cockerill, Moline; great grandson, Gibson Cockerill, East Moline; siblings, Gary (Tina) Lear, Moline, Dan (Barb) Lear, Moline, and MaryAnne (Bob) Honzik, AR; and many nieces and nephews, whom she loved.  When her nieces and nephews would tell her they loved her, Aunt Dee Dee would always reply, “I feel loved!”

Verlee was a people person and never met a stranger in her life.  She started cooking by her mother’s side while standing on a wooden box at age 10.  This love of cooking continued all her life.  Her specialty became desserts that were outstanding and over the years she made many birthday cakes for many friends and family.  You would often find her reading cookbooks as if they were novels.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and sister, Norma Strandlund.

Verlee’s family would like to thank the memory care staff at Hope Creek for the care given during her time in that unit.  A special thank you to all who would take a moment and ask about her and how she was doing, your thoughtfulness made this journey more bearable for us.

Memories may be shared online by visiting esterdahl.com.