Imogene Hertwig

Imogene Harriet (Bye) Hertwig, 90, went home to Heaven on May 5, 2014 in Mayville ND at Luther Memorial Home, Memory Care Unit, when her wish to go home  to her Mom and Dad, Edwin and Alma (Stockmoe) Bye, was granted.

Imo was born on November 10, 1923 on the family farm in Greenfield township ND.  She attended school at a country school in the same township, where she later taught after attending 1 year at Mayville Teacher College, Mayville ND.  She married Wallace Hertwig of Blanchard ND, in Crookston MN on June 7, 1947.  They resided together in Blanchard ND, until the effects of dementia affected their lives.  Imo moved to Hillsboro ND where she resided at the Kiwanis’s apartments and the Community Nursing home, until her recent move to Mayville ND in the Memory Care Unit. 

Prior to her marriage, Imo also worked as a waitress at the Galesburg Café, in Galesburg ND.  She stayed home and cared for her 5 children for many years, then worked at the Hillsboro Inn in housekeeping, prior to becoming the postmistress in Blanchard ND and taking over the Blanchard General Store. After moving to Hillsboro, she was the “grandma” for the preschool program held at the Hillsboro Armory where she helped the children and served as an aide in their classroom for a few hours a couple times a week. 

Imo has been a member of St John Lutheran Church in Hillsboro since her marriage and was very active as a Sunday School teacher, and officer of LWML until her health began to fail.  She and Wallace sang at celebrations in the community and at special functions.  Music was a very important part of her life as she would play piano or strum guitar, all self taught or “by ear” while the family would gather around and sing.  Imo was also active in the Blanchard Homemakers Club and would make many craft projects and enjoyed ceramics and needlepoint, making gifts for family and friends. 

Imo is survived by her husband of 66 years, Wallace Hertwig, her 5 children, Larry Hertwig, Jerry Hertwig (Theresa), Susie Miller (Vic), Janet Mitzel (Kirk), and John Hertwig (Diane), 11 grandchildren, Karie Kowalski (Stan), Pennie Reinke (Dennis), Cindy Dullum (Derek), Christy Strandberg (Nick), Anthony Mitzel (Megan), Monica Lang (Tyler), Kirsten Lindsey (Matt), Killian Miller (Kristina), Andy Hertwig, Ashley Hertwig, and Evan Hertwig, and 15 great-grandchildren, her sisters, Joyce Larson (Louis), and Dorothy Norgaard (Paul), and many nieces, nephews, and brother and sister-in-laws.. She was precede in death by her parents, Edwin and Alma Bye and by her brother, Emery Bye.

Memorials funds have been set up for St John Lutheran Church and the Hillsboro school H509 Scholarship fund.  A special thank you to the staff at both Hillsboro Community Nursing Home and to the Luther Memorial Home for the wonderful care given during this last years.