Bertha May Stauffer Kirk

Bertha May Stauffer Kirk, 89, of Warsaw passed away February 4, 2019 at 10:38 AM in Hospice Home in Fort Wayne. She was born April 27, 1929 in East Liverpool, OH to Charles E. “Bud “and Gladys M. (Hancock) Sainer.  She graduated East Liverpool High School in 1947 and the Liverpool City Hospital Nursing School in 1950 as a Registered Nurse. Bertha was united in marriage to Joseph N. Stauffer in Lafayette, IN on April 24, 1953 then to Howard Leroy “Roy” Kirk on August 15, 1998 in Ottumwa, IA.  Both Joseph and Roy preceded her. A Registered Nurse for 50 years she was the former Director of Nursing at Murphy Medical Center, Warsaw also serving as an Office Nurse for Dr. Dormire, an Industrial Nurse for Clausing, Inc., Warsaw and then a Nurse for Kosciusko Community Hospital. She attended Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, Warsaw and a Lifetime Member of the American Nursing Association.  Bertha was known for her fondness of playing with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her visits with her Mobile Meals volunteers and reading the Times-Union Newspaper. Furthermore, she was an avid college football fan with her favorite teams being Notre Dame, Iowa and Purdue and was devoted to watching Jimmy Swaggart’s church service on TV.  Survivors include her daughter Jo Ann (spouse Ronald) Cotton of Warsaw and grandsons Christopher A. (spouse Kerri) Cotton of Pittsburgh, PA and Michael D. (spouse Andrea) Cotton of Fort Wayne; great-grandchildren Sophia and Leah Cotton of Pittsburgh, Nathan and Julia Cotton, of Fort Wayne and a niece Carol (spouse Mike) Blackford of Warsaw who was her faithful caregiver. In addition, to her husbands, Bertha was preceded by a brother Charles “Chuck” Sainer of Sallisaw, OK.  Services will be held Friday, February 8, 2019 at 11:00 AM in McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw. Visitation with the family will be from 9:00 to 11:00 AM Friday in the Funeral Chapel. Pastor Greg Hiatt of Walnut Creek United Methodist Church will officiate the service. Interment services will be private.  Memorial contributions may be directed to: Walnut Creek United Methodist Church 2033 S. 150 W. Warsaw, IN 46580 or Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home 5910 Homestead Road Fort Wayne, IN 46814