Bertha B (Adamowicz) Kirschenheiter 1922-2020

Bertha Kirschenheiter, resident of The Golden Crest, Franklin, NH, died on September 3, 2020, at the Pleasant View Center in Concord after a period of declining health.

Bertha was born on June 22, 1922, to the late Felix Adamowicz and Emily Ciereszko, both of Dombrowa in the Bialystok region of Poland.

Bertha grew up on the family farm on Woodruff Street in Southington, CT, with her siblings Stanley, Walter, Joseph, Edward, Lawrence, and Mary, all of whom predeceased her. Bertha graduated from Lincoln-Lewis High School. After graduation she worked as a turret lathe operator at Chandler-Evans Corporation in S. Meriden, CT, before enlisting in the Navy in 1943.

She attended Navy training courses in Bronx, NY; Memphis, TN; St. Louis, MO; and Columbus, OH; earning the rank of Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class. She met her future husband, John F. Kirschenheiter, when they were both stationed in Columbus.

Bertha and John were married on June 29, 1946, and lived in Springdale and Stamford, CT, where they started their family. The couple moved to Southington, CT, in 1953 and built a house next door to Bertha’s parents. In 1960, Bertha graduated from nursing school at E.C. Goodwin Technical School in New Britain, CT. She worked at Bristol Hospital for ten years as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Bertha and John belonged to Southington Country Club where they made many lasting friendships.

In 1984, after John retired from the U.S. Postal Service, the couple moved to Marstons Mills, MA. Bertha and John enjoyed retirement on the Cape and were members of Old Barnstable Fairground Golf Course, where Bertha was Senior Club Championship net winner in 2001 and Super Senior Champion at the age of 88. Bertha and John both graduated from the Barnstable Citizens Police Academy and, in their late 80s, traveled to Ireland and San Francisco.

When John died in 2013, Bertha moved to New Hampshire to be near their daughter. Bertha was a resident at The Golden Crest in Franklin for six years. She leaves behind her son John C. Kirschenheiter and wife Marcia Kirschenheiter of Wolcott, CT; daughter Karen Maineri and husband Francis Maineri of New Hampton, NH; grandson Joshua Maineri and family of Moultonboro, NH; granddaughter Sarah Maineri and family of Amherst, NH; four great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the Director and Staff at the Golden Crest in Franklin, NH and the caring nurses at the Pleasant View Center in Concord, NH.

There will be no calling hours. John and Bertha will be buried at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen at a later date. Bertha wanted to be remembered as “a good neighbor and friend.” Memorial contributions can be made in her name to the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans or the Veterans of Foreign Wars.