Roberta 'Bertie' J. Hart, 95

Bertie passed away June 24, 2023, in the embrace of her family at Schneidmiller Hospice House. She was born July 28, 1927, in Waterville, Wash., to George and Margie Dark. She and her sisters, Margaret, Marvel and Shirley, grew up in Washington state, until Bertie moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1945, working at Hart’s Drug in downtown Coeur d’Alene. There, she met John D. Hart, whom she married in 1947.

She and John soon built and operated “Hart’s Motel” on North Fourth Street before moving to East Sherman Avenue. Susan Alene Hart, their first child, was born in 1955. She and her family were big hydroplane fans and always hoped to host the first hydroplane into town for the Diamond Cup at their motel. They became lifelong friends with many of those hydroplane drivers, crew and their families.

They later sold the motel and John went to work in Spokane for Sears, while Bertie enjoyed full-time homemaking. They lost a child, Sandra, at birth in 1960 due to congestive heart failure, but welcomed their son, John Hamilton Hart, in 1964. They built a house on Stanley Hill in 1963 and lived there until 1980 when they built a home on family property on Hayden Lake. John became a salesman at Knudtsen Chevrolet in 1976, where he worked until retirement. Both had great senses of humor, loved golfing as members of the Hayden Lake Country Club and Bertie was active in PEO and First Presbyterian Church. She avidly played bridge and loved to cook, bake and host guests at the lake house where they lived until moving into assisted living in 2017. She was married for 72 years until John died in 2019.

Bertie is survived by daughter Susie and her husband, Scott Fischer; and son John and his wife, Susan. She was cherished by grandchildren, Travis Fischer (and fiancée, Morgan Reid), Adam (and Meg) Fischer and Alexis Hart. Great-grandchildren include Ryan and Garrett Fischer, Huck and Finch Fischer, and Autumn and Ember Reid.

A celebration of Bertie’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the First Presbyterian Church with Pastor McLane Stone officiating. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Chapter BF, PEO, C/O Donna Francis (Treasurer), 8528 Salmonberry Loop, Hayden Lake, ID 83835, or Schneidmiller Hospice House, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815. The family also wants to thank Honeysuckle Place for their extended care.

Yates Funeral Home is entrusted with final arrangements. Please visit Bertie’s online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.