Third oldest of 5 siblings, Bertie was born on June 30, 1922 in Lethbridge, Alberta, to Mary Jane Potts (Roberts) an Englishwoman who, as a child, emigrated with her family from South Shields, Durham, England, and Ralph Tom Potts, an Englishman who coincidentally came to Canada as a young man from Sunderland, Durham, England. As a child, Bertie enjoyed a close relationship with her maternal grandparents and developed a fierce sense of independence and pragmatism that remained with her for the rest of her life. In her early years she did well at school, winning various academic awards for her essays. She was a first rate athlete, playing softball for the Lethbridge Whippets, but as she had resolved at an early age to leave Lethbridge, she was quite prepared to leave that all behind as soon as an opportunity presented itself. And, in 1943, it did. We know that because on Thursday May 6, 1943, when Bertie was not quite 21, the Lethbridge Herald breathlessly reported that after a going away party with friends, (all of whom were named ) Bertie and her friend Violet Todd had left Lethbridge the previous Tuesday, "by motor to reside in Vancouver." Boeing was looking for workers for the plants it had set up there and the prospect of steady employment at big city wages was irresistible. From then until the end of the War, she and her girlfriends shared an apartment in the West End and when not working, spent their time doing the sorts of things that horrify parents but make youth worth living. It was at Boeing that Bertie met Don Sharp. Eventually, the two moved, along with Don Junior, to Ottawa, where Bertie worked as a buyer for Henry Birks and Sons. Don, an avid hunter and fisherman, obtained employment with the Federal Government as a Game Warden but in return for steady pay and government benefits, was obliged to take postings to various far (really far) Northern communities which usually had the word "Fort" or "Creek" in their names. But, both Bertie and Don liked living in the North, were active in community affairs, and Bertie especially enjoyed her work at Dr Wallace's medical clinic in Fort Nelson. Still, there is something to be said for winters that won't kill you, so Don arranged for a transfer to the BC Fish and Game Department and a permanent posting to balmy Salmon Arm, in the interior of British Columbia. There, they bought a home and an orchard and lived happily until Don's retirement. Bert worked for the School Board and remained active in community affairs, especially curling. When Don retired, they decided that there was no reason to ever be cold again, so they started searching for a convenient desert. A number of their friends recommended Yuma and off they went. Several years later, while in Yuma, Don died tragically. Bertie gave up the Salmon Arm house, bought a mobile home on the lake in Westbank, and joined a group of very good friends who spent summers there and convoyed back to Yuma each fall. Enter John Nathan Countryman, another snowbird. John, a genuinely good man with a wry sense of humour, was from Northern California and had lost his wife to cancer. When John eventually made his intentions known, Bertie was less than enthusiastic. Not being one to mince words, what she said was, "the last xxx thing I need is to be involved with another man." What John said was, "We'll see." They did. On February 28, 1994 they were married and thereafter Bertie gave up the yearly commute from Canada and moved to Yuma permanently to be with John. They were very happy together and neither was at all shy about saying so. Both of them remained active every day of their lives; they started playing golf regularly when John was 70, (he got three holes in one before vision problems ended golf), loved dancing (John had learned in Paris when overseas during the War), were active with the Shriners, were excellent cooks and entertained regularly, travelled extensively, and kept each other busy and content for the better part of two decades. They especially enjoyed cruising and after a number of shorter cruises, they last took a two month, around the world trip which, amongst other things, included a stop in Thailand, where they were able to visit with Bertie's grandson Daniel, and his wife Jane. Regretfully, Bertie at his side throughout, John died at home of cancer on August 19, 2012. Although Bertie soldiered on, she never really got over the loss. After John's death, Bertie remained in Yuma while she decided what she was going to do. With the exception of some hearing problems that she generally denied, she maintained her faculties and remained fiercely protective of her independence. She saw and talked to her long time friends and kin regularly, especially John's grandson Donald Countryman and his wife Cathy, and niece Leslie Potts. Ultimately, Bertie decided to return to Canada and hopefully settle in the Okanagan. But, that was not to be. On May 5th, 2013, not quite 91 years old, while in Vancouver, after helping to prepare Sunday dinner, Bertie suffered a massive stroke. She died the following day at the Vancouver General Hospital without ever regaining consciousness. Bertie often said that when her time came she hoped to go quickly, and, thankfully, she got her wish. By reason of Aunt Bert's repeated, impossible to misunderstand instructions, which instructions she took the liberty of reducing to writing lest there be any confusion about what she wanted, there will be no funeral or service. Predeceased by brothers Ralph and Frank, sisters Mildred and Edna Mae, and son Donald. Survived by grandsons Daniel and David, granddaughter Dawn Marie, a goodly number of nephews and nieces, and numerous long time friends in Yuma and the Interior of BC.