Bio: Searls, Bertha (Mrs. George)
Poster: Loyal Public Library

(excerpt from "The Centennial History of the York Center United Methodist Church, 1880 - 1980).

SEARLS, BERTHA (MRS. GEORGE)

Mrs. Searls is a resident of Richland Center at the present time. She writes, "We moved from Montana to Wisconsin in October 1926. We first lived on the Charles Campbell place, that was on the corner down from the Rowe place We were there about two years and then moved to what was known as the Thompson place where Clarence Hoesly lives. I attended the George and Bertha Searls. church from 1926 to the fall of 1940. I was brought up as a Methodist as a child. We had five children. They attended the Merry Vale grade school. Their names were -Gerald, Dorrance, Myron, Myrna, and Lorene. Dorrance and Myron attended the high school in Granton. Myrna and Lorene attended the Neillsville High School. We came from Montana to Wisconsin on account of schooling as they had to go too far to go out there at that time. Gerald lived in Sorocaba, Brazil for over 20 years. He passed away May 26, 1979. Dorrance lives at Deerfield, Ill. Lorene lives in Richland Center. I make my home with her. Myron lives at Lone Rock, Wis. Myrna lives in Chicago, Ill. While we lived at York Center I attended chure and Sunday school. I had the class of little ones and was their teacher for eight or nine years. My girls and Myron went to the Young People's meetings. Almost all of my old friends are gone such as Grandma Mortimer, Sadie Lawrence, Ida Voight, Sadie Rowe, the Eyesnogles, and the Van debergs. The Korths moved away but I hear from her quite often. On my 90th birthday in 1978, my daughters had a party for me. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Sisson, Frieda Frischman, Berniece Tucker, my nieces, Inger Free and Minne Searls, Alice Richert and Herb, my nephew Harold Searls and Ruth all came. I had a card from Rev. and Mrs. Fleming, and also a great-granddaughter was born on that day."