Obituary: Kertson, Barbara Jean
Age 89
KERTSON,
Barbara Jean
(Gates)
Barbara passed away April 23 in Spokane.
She was born February 21, 1923 to Howard H. and Clara M. Gates.
She grew up in Spokane and attended Roosevelt Grade School and Lewis and Clark, grad-uating in January, 1941.
She attended Kelsey-Baird Secretarial school before attending WSU where she became a member of Chi Omega Sorority in Pullman and also in Seattle at U of W.
During the war she worked as a Medical Technician at Ft. Wright Hospital and finished her training after the war at Deaconess Hospital.
Barbara married Willard A.
“Bill” Kertson on April 19, 1947 in Spokane.
They had two sons, Scott and Fritz.
She worked for many years as a registered medical technician at various local hospitals and laboratories and finished her career as Bacteriologist for Spokane Milk Producers.
She took post-grad work at Colorado Medical School in Denver.
Barbara went back to school after her retirement and got a BA in music, specializing in pipe organ.
She played the organ at local churches for many years.
She also spent eight years at Whitworth University studying French, spending her last semester in France.
Barbara and her husband ran a dairy farm near Elk for many years and she continued to live in that area until her death.
She is survived by her son, Fritz D. (Peggy) of Elk.
There are two grandchildren, Patrick Kertson and Audrey Webb and six great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Willard “Bill”; her oldest son Scott and her sister, Marilyn.
Barbara wishes memorial contributions be made to the charity of your choice.
Graveside service will be held Friday, April 27, 2012 at 1:00 pm in the Mausoleum Chapel at Holy Cross Cemetery 7200 N. Wall with Funeral Mass to follow at 4:00pm at St. Mary Presentation Catholic Church, 602 E. 6th St., Deer Park WA.
Please visit Barbara’s memorial at www.hennesseyfuneralhomes.com.