Bertha Jensen

Berti (Bertha) Lucille Munger Jensen of Castro Valley, California passed away on September 23, 2023 following a gradual decline in her health. Berti was born in San Francisco, California, on January 29, 1932 to Merrick Edward Sigismund Munger and Lois Lydia Baker, during a rare snowstorm. She was the second of five children and raised in Sonoma, California. She graduated in a class of 77 students from Sonoma Valley Union High School with a life membership in the California Scholarship Federation and a PTA Scholarship. She attended BYU and graduated with a B.A. degree majoring in Elementary Education/English/Spanish. She met Gordon Jensen during her second year, and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 2, 1952. They are the parents of 4 children, Ray, Brenda, Janice, and Lanita. After Gordon finished his graduate studies, they moved to Inglewood in Southern California where she worked as a secretary to pharmacy and biology professors at USC. They later moved to the Torrance/Redondo Beach area where they raised their family. Berti taught school and then worked for the aerospace company TRW. When Gordon accepted a job in Northern California, Berti stayed in Torrance to allow the older children to graduate from high school. Then she and Lanita, her youngest daughter, moved to join Gordon in Castro Valley. There she utilized her secretarial skills and worked at several firms as an executive secretary/administrative assistant until she accepted a job with the Kaiser Permanente Medical Group. After working there 15 years, she was given the choice of a “golden handshake” and took early retirement. A year later, Kaiser Health Education called and wanted her to come back and help them out. She stayed with them until retiring at the age of 80 in 2012, a total of 25 years. Berti wrote, edited, and self-published a children’s book entitled “F is for Fun”. The book was intended to be used as a resource by people without a formal teaching background who were called to teach pre-school and Sunday School. The book is a collection of original material and other sources of poems, fingerplays, and stories written and compiled for children 2-8 years old. Berti was a Girl Scout Cadet leader and worked with her troop of 5 girls so they all earned the Gold Award for Girl Scouts (equivalent to the Eagle Scout award for Boy Scouts). Berti has always been active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has been involved in music – both playing the piano and leading the music. She taught songs and played the piano for church for over 30 years. Her hobbies include crafts, crocheting, reading, and doll collecting. Her eclectic doll collection includes over 400 clothespin dolls. Berti has worked diligently on family history projects by gathering family journals, letters, and pictures and scanning them into the computer and sharing them with others. She was very skilled working on her computer until she was over 90 years old. Berti was a “people person” and made friends easily. She always had a smile and loved to talk to people about their lives and families. She kept track of neighbors and friends for the long term. She never missed sending out birthday greetings. Berti passed peacefully away at home on September 23, 2023 at the age of 91. Preceding her in death and there to greet her in heaven were her husband, Gordon Jensen, her parents Merrick and Lois Munger, and siblings Geraldine, Lawrence, and Edward. She is survived by her sister Merretta Palmer (Revier); sisters -in-law Kae (Lawrence) and Jan (Edward). She leaves behind her son Ray Jensen (Nancy), and daughters Brenda Dick (David), Janice Davenport (Brent), and Lanita Wimer (Maurey). Also surviving are 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren: Kristi von Niederhausern (Kiel) and children Luke, Claire, and Lily; Chad Davenport (Whitney) and children Cole, Davis, and Skyler; Russ Jensen (Holly) and children Kate, Logan, Lila, and Noelle; Nathan Jensen (Megan) and children Zack, Landon, and Max; Brian Jensen (Allison) and children Aubrey, Ethan, and Brinlee; Allison Jepsen (Alex) and children Isla, Luke, Sienna (birthday twin!) and Colin; Bethany Jensen; Jeffrey Jagoda; Gina Jagoda; Brett Wimer (currently serving as a missionary to Brazil for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints); and Analise Wimer. Berti is also survived by many nieces and nephews and good friends. The family would like to express sincere gratitude to Berti’s caregiver over the past year, Emilie Sarmiento, who was an answer to our prayers.