Bertha Emma Holzem

Bertha Emma Hettenbach Holzem, 92, of Jefferson City, died Friday, February 19, 2016, at Heisinger Bluffs. She was born on the family farm three miles west of Chamois on March 26, 1923, the daughter of the late William Charles and Anna Trachsel Hettenbach. After graduating from Chamois High School in 1941, Mrs. Holzem moved to Jefferson City and worked for the State of Missouri, first for the State Board of Health (Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services) and later for the Unemployment Compensation Commission (Missouri Division of Employment Security). In 1946, she moved to St. Louis and worked for a short period of time for the United States Department of War (Department of Defense.) On July 30, 1947, she was united in marriage at Assumption Catholic Church in Morrison, Missouri, to Edward Joseph Holzem who preceded her in death on January 15, 2014. She and her husband always had a substantial garden; she especially enjoyed her beautiful row of zinnias. Immediately following marriage, she and her husband moved to Jefferson City. After the birth of her children, she returned to work in 1961, first working for the Credit Bureau of Jefferson City until 1976; followed by Central Missouri Adjustment Service until full-time retirement in 1988. She was one of the original members of the Cathedral of St. Joseph and attended the first Mass in the Cathedral on Christmas Eve in 1968. She and her husband faithfully participated in Perpetual Adoration at 9:00 a.m. each Wednesday for 21 years. Given a growing number of Catholic families in western Jefferson City, in June 1952, Monsignor Joseph Vogelweid, Pastor of St. Peter Church, encouraged the formation of Fatima Circle, a Pinochle Card Club. In addition to Mrs. Holzem, the original Fatima Circle members were Gerri Stockman, Ruth Wallendorf, Clara Backes, Edna Schepker, Pauline Boeckman, Pat Kremer, Fronie Evers and Corrine Flick. After forty years of prayers and playing cards, the Fatima Circle met for pinochle for the last time in May 1992. Survivors include four children: Jeffrey Holzem (Shelley Swoyer), Jefferson City; Maxine (Fred) Lueckenotte, Manchester; Denise (Tom) Deuschle, Jefferson City; Diann (Keith) Rosenkrans, Hannibal; seven grandchildren, Amy (Bill) Lueckenotte Goche, Daryl (Nora) Lueckenotte, Loren Holzem, Collin Holzem, Emma Deuschle, Katie (Kyle) Rosenkrans Wessel and Tommy Deuschle; and five great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Frieda Rosena Hettenbach and Lydia Anna Hettenbach Hagedorn; brother, Walter William George Hettenbach; and her twin brother Herman John Hettenbach. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 23, 2016, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph with the Rev. Msgr. Robert A. Kurwicki officiating. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be 4:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, February 22, at Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home with a prayer service at 4 p.m. Memorials are suggested to Samaritan Center, 1310 E. McCarty St., Jefferson City, MO 65101. Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Those wishing to email tributes or condolences to the family may do so at the www.dulletrimble.com website.