From The Houghton Lake Resorter, Houghton Lake, Michigan on 2 April, 2009
Laura Bertl

Laura Bertl, 97, Roscommon, died March 29, 2009 at Grayling Mercy Hospital. Services were scheduled for April 2, at First Congregational Church in Roscommon with Pastor Mark Davidson officiating. Burial will be at Gerrish Township Cemetery in Roscommon. Walsh Funeral Home, Roscommon, handled arrangements.

Mrs. Bertl was born Sept. 22, 1911 in Maple Forest Township to the late James F. and Ada M. (Hollingswoth) Knibbs. After attending a one-room country school through eighth grade, she graduated from Grayling High School in 1929. Immediately following high school she attended Davenport Business College for one semester until the November stock market crash that began the Great Depression.

On Nov. 10 1931, she married Fritz Bertl and moved to Roscommon County. Here she helped her husband as he bought and ran two businesses: the Chevrolet Oldsmobile Dealership and Roscommon Gas and Oil Mobile Products Distributorship.
Together they raised three daughters, Barbara Gaylor, Camilla DeWitt and Lenora Huber. During the years of raising her children, Mrs Bertl was an active member of the First Congregational Church of Roscommon and served as the president of the Women's Fellowship and Secretary of Sunday School. Mrs. Bertl was also active in PTA and worked for the Queen's Committee of the Miss Roscommon Pageant during the '60s and '70s. In 1949, she was instrumental in organizing the Roscommon Betehl #24 International Order of Job's Daughters where she served as the first Bethel Guardian (adult leader). She remained involved in that organization for many years, working closely with teenage girls. Mrs. Bertl joined the Order of Eastern Star in 1934 and served as Worthy Matron. She was a life member of OES Fidelity Chapter #50 in Roscommon and with the consolidation of the Roscommon and Grayling OES Chapters, she was a current member of Fidelity Chapter #83 in Grayling.

Through the years Mrs. Bertl's recreational activities have included bowling, golf, and bridge. She was also an avid Detroit Tigers and MSU basketball fan and loved watching Tiger Woods golf. Her family regards her as a champion pie baker and until she was 89, she was still baking, keeping a dozen homemade fruit pies in her freezer most of the year.

In July of 2000, her husband passed away. Two years later she moved to the Brook Retirement Community. She will be remembered for her life and love for family and friends. Preceding her in death were her daughter, Barbara Gaylor; a great-grandson, Greg II; two infant sisters; two brothers, Leonard and James Knibbs; and a half brother, Kenneth White.

Surviving are her daughters, Camilla DeWitt of Roscommon; and Lenora and her husband Robert Huber of Higgins Lake; eight grandchildren, Greg and his wife Diana Gaylor, Laurie and her husband Dave Lundie, Jeff and his wife Karen DeWitt, Jim and his wife Julie DeWitt, Michelle and her husband Kevin Ameluxen, Jessica and her husband Paul Solomon, Lisa and her husband Carl Toney and Julie and her husband James Mikolajczyk; eighteen greatgrandchildren, Greg and his wife Marianne Gaylor, Jennifer and her husband Aaron Kohn, Geoffrey Gaylor, Ashley Lepsey, Michael Hess, Amanda, Lindsay, Joshua, Hanna DeWitt, Aaron and Crystal Webber, Lindsey, Kristin, Jenna, Nicholas, Ellie and Hannah Solomon and Zoe Toney; sons-in-law, Howard "Corky" Gaylor and Jerry DeWitt both of Roscommon; and two sisters-in-law, Mary Jane Knibbs of Grayling; and Iris Knibbs of Roscommon.

Memorial donations may be made to the First Congregational Church or the American Lung Association.

From The Houghton Lake Resorter, Houghton Lake, Michigan on 4 November, 2004:

Barbara Joyce Gaylor

Barbara Joyce Gaylor, 72, Roscommon, died Nov. 3, 2004, at her home.
The Rev. James Beinke will officiate a service Friday, Nov. 5, at 11 a.m. at First Congregational Church, Roscommon. Burial will be in Gerrish Township Cemetery, Roscommon. Walsh Funeral Home, Roscommon, handled arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the Michigan Dyslexia Institute, 532 E. Shiawassee Street, Lansing, MI 48912.
Mrs. Gaylor was born in Roscommon Sept. 29, 1932, the daughter of Fritz and Laura (Knibbs) Bertl. She lived in Roscommon her entire life. She and Corky Gaylor were united in marriage June 27, 1953, in Roscommon. She taught home economics at Frederic and Roscommon high schools for many years and worked with her husband at Gaylor Insurance Company of Roscommon.
Mrs. Gaylor attended First Congregational Church, Roscommon, and was a member of the Michigan Education Association, Order of the Eastern Star Fidelity Chapter #50 and a former member of Zonta.
Preceding her in death were her grandson, Greg II; and father, Fritz Bertl.
Surviving are her husband, Corky Gaylor of Roscommon; son, Greg and Diana Gaylor of Higgins Lake; daughter, Laurie and her husband Dave Lundie of Higgins Lake; five grandchildren, Greg III, Jennifer, Ashley, Michael and Geoff; mother, Laura Bertl of Roscommon; two sisters, Camilla and her husband Jerry DeWitt of Grayling and Lenora and her husband Bob Huber of Higgins Lake; and many nieces and nephews.