Bertha "Bert" Lawson

Bertha May “Bert” Lawson 75, passed away in Sandpoint, Idaho on June 25, 2007. Funeral services will be conducted at 10:00am on Friday, June 29th in Coffelt’s Funeral Chapel. Dale Coffelt will officiate with interment in the Hope City Cemetery. Bert was born in Hope, Idaho on December 5, 1931 the daughter of Claude and Anna (Rhodes) Hatfield. She grew up, and attended schools, in Hope, Idaho. On May 22, 1949 she married William E. Lawson in Eugene, Oregon. She lived in Eugene, Oregon and Costa Mesa, California returning to the Sandpoint area in 1964. She worked in the food service industry and over the years managed restaurants for the Edgewater, the Pend Oreille Lodge, Hootowl Hannahs, the Lighthouse restaurant, and the Elk’s Lodge. In 1980 she established Bert’s Place in Ponderay which she operated until her retirement in 1999. Bert was a 30-year member of the Sandpoint Eagles Auxiliary, Aerie # 589. She enjoyed painting, fishing, gardening, and canning. Her love was taking care of her family and her friends. She is survived by 4 sons – Donald E (and Bobbi) Walline of Junction City, OR; Steve (and Marilyn) Lawson of Phoenix, AZ; Johnnie (and Sue) Lawson of Kootenai, ID; Stuart (and Billie) Lawson of Sandpoint, ID. 2 daughters Debra (and Rocky) Swan of Laclede, ID; and Gypsy (and Scott) Ackerman of Sheridan, OR. 14 granddaughters, 7 grandsons, 25 great grandchildren. 2 brothers Terry Hatfield of Eugene, OR and Donald Hatfield of Coos Bay, OR; a sister Louise Tucker of Sandpoint, ID. Numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bill Lawson, Sisters Opal, Lillie, Sherion, and a brother Frank, son-in-law Jeff Chamberlain, and daughter-in-law Donna “Allen” Lawson.