Bertha F. Potter

Bertha Fern Krehbiel was born to Edna (Krehbiel) and Henry Krehbiel on August 8, 1924 in Moundridge.  Bertha joined Our Heavenly Father on February 20, 2025.  She had celebrated her 100th Birthday in Harper in August of 2024 with her many friends and family in attendance.

Bertha was the third of 5 children, all brothers; Marvin, Paul, Pete, and Gil.  Shortly after she was born, her brother Paul died in 1924. When Bertha was eight and living on the farm in Moundridge, her father passed. Her mother remarried and moved the family to the Flickner farm south of Kingman.  Bertha attended and graduated Kingman High School in 1942 and then worked for the State Bank in Kingman. She got an apartment in town with her brothers, Pete and Gil. During that same time her oldest brother, Marvin, who had served in WW2 was later tragically killed. Pete and Iris Krehbiel and Gil and Deanna Krehbiel preceded her in death.

Bertha enjoyed roller skating at the Kingman skating rink.  That is where she met Charles Potter, a Navy veteran, and they fell in love.  Bert and Charlie were married on June 20, 1948 and were blessed with two daughters, Jeri and Kristi. Working, worshipping, raising their daughters, and traveling together was their life.

Charles worked for JC Penney's while Bertha worked in banks in Kingman, Great Bend, and Wellington. They moved to Harper in April of 1962 and made it their home. They had an opportunity to open their own clothing store in Harper, Ks in 1962.  Potters Dry Goods became a great career for them and they expanded their clothing business to Kingman in 1967. They successfully owned the family business until they retired in 1988. Bertha remembered going to market in Kansas City and Dallas to shop for the stores.  She helped in many aspects of running the stores, including beautifully wrapping presents for customers and making alterations when people needed them. She was very skilled with a sewing machine and made clothes, costumes, and prom dresses for family. She enjoyed sitting and crocheting in her spare time and her family cherishes blankets and potholders that she made for them.

Bert and Charlie loved to travel and their goal was to see every state, which they accomplished.  A favorite pastime was traveling to Bella Vista, Texas,

and Phoenix to play golf when it was cold and snowy in Kansas. They took multiple fishing trips to Minnesota and especially enjoyed the cleaning of the fish and eating it for every meal while they were there. Another pastime was watching a multitude of sporting events even if their girls or grandkids weren't playing. They loved to watch high school basketball, softball, and football when they had the chance. Bertha enjoyed golf well into her nineties. She was active in her younger years in the women's golf clubs at both Anthony and Kingman where she served in various offices. Bert enjoyed playing many different card games; bridge, UNO, Rummy, and too many more to name. Whenever family got together, she was always ready to play some kind of game with her grandkids and she just recently stopped playing bridge.

Bert and Charlie always put God and family as their first priorities and were always available for each new generation. Bertha was blessed to have 5 generations with great grandson, Dayton and Ravin Albright and great-great granddaughters, Jade and Teagan.  Also blessing her with 5 generations was her great granddaughter, Chyanne Albright and Parker Patterson and twin great-great grandsons, Kye and Kelby.

Bertha was one of many cousins. She loved staying in touch with them and attending Krehbiel family reunions over the years to visit and worship.

Bertha's faith was strong. She was always active in church activities with her most recent church affiliation being Cross Pointe Church in Harper.

Bertha lost her husband Charlie shortly after celebrating 59 years of marriage in June of 2007.   A few years later she made her home at Heritage Estates in Harper (2012) until recently when she moved to Wheatland Health Care Center in Kingman. She was a very special lady who always made everyone else feel special when she was visiting with them. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. We are blessed to be part of her family during her 100 years on this Earth:

Jeri and Nick Jacobs and their families; Heather Jacobs, Taylor Albright and Tatum Klausmeyer, Dayton and Ravin Albright and girls, Jade and Teagan, Chyanne Albright and Parker Patterson and twin boys, Kelby and Kye Patterson and baby boy on the way.

Chad and Sara Jacobs,

Taylor Raye Jacobs, Niki Jacobs, and Charlie Jacobs.

Kristi and Claude Kyle and their families; Michelle Kyle and Robert Romero, Nico Romero.

Scott Kyle and his daughter, Danika Kyle.

Many nieces and nephews, both great and great-great on both the Potter side and the Krehbiel side.

All of Gene and Ella Louise Jacobs' families were her family too.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 24, 2025 at Crosspointe Church, 612 E. 12th St., Harper, Kansas. The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025 at the Livingston Funeral Home, 1830 N Main, Kingman, Kansas and from 9:30 a.m., Monday until service time at Crosspointe Church. Burial will be in the Hoosier Cemetery, Kingman.

Memorials may be made with Crosspointe Church or Samaritan's Purse, both in care of Livingston Funeral Home, 1830 N. Main, Kingman, KS 67068.