Bertha Riebe

UTICA — Bertha M. Riebe, 84, of Utica died at 3:25 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, at Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru.

Born March 11, 1927, in Five Points to William and Elizabeth (Kettmann) Ihrig, she married Paul L. Riebe Sept. 18, 1960, in St. John’s Lutheran Church. He survives.

She worked at Westclox and then the Spring Valley Garment Factory. She then was a homemaker.

She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church. She volunteered at Waltham Grade School and Lighted Way in LaSalle. She taught Sunday school in the Zion Evangelical Church in Ottawa and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Hollowayville. She also served on various committees and fundraisers at St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Also surviving are one daughter, Paula (Marshall) Felbein of Naperville; and two grandsons.

She was preceded in death by one daughter, Marcia Riebe; one brother, Willard Ihrig; and two sisters, Margaret Husser and one in infancy.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. John’s Lutheran Church on the Hill in Hollowayville with Pastor Kim Lee-Brown officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday in the Hurst Funeral Home, LaSalle, and also one hour prior to the services Saturday at the church.

Memorials may be directed to the Lighted Way, Horizon House or St. John’s Lutheran Church.