of Chelsea, Michigan, formerly of Cary, North Carolina, New York City, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, age 102, died Saturday, December 21, 2024, at Wellbridge of Pinckney. She was born January 17, 1922, in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Anthony V. and Anna Bertha (Aggot) Santos.
Bertha was a Staff Seargent in the Marines from June,1943 to January,1946. She enlisted in June,1943 after her fiancé, William Thomas Hanna, was killed in Guadalcanal in 1942. He was awarded the Navy Cross, and then a Destroyer Escort was named in his honor. Bertha was Maid of Honor at the launch.
Bertha attended the Aerology Course at US Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, N.J., then was assigned to The Aerology Office at the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, N.C. in January,1944. In 1944, Bertha lectured in Portuguese to the Portuguese Educational Society on activities of Women Marines and made 9 radio broadcasts for the Office of War Information and the Office of Inter-American Affairs. She presented them in five languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Italian. In 1945 Bertha was a Portuguese interpreter to classes that included a Brazilian General and Colonels. She was an interpreter in Spanish and Portuguese to a class of Inter-American Defense Committee members. For a bond drive in New York, Bertha was a lecturer at an Aerology Exhibit and was awarded a citation for selling over a million dollars in War Bonds.
After active duty, Bertha served an additional 10 years in the Marine reserves. She received the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
Bertha graduated from New York University in 1952 with her doctorate in Psychology. She opened her private practice as a psychoanalyst in Manhattan, NY and saw patients until she retired in 1994. In 1984, Bertha was offered the position as the Clinical Director of Psychological Services for the New York City Police Department. The 10 years she worked there were some of her favorites. She loved working with “her cops”.
Bertha had many varied interests and talents including bobbin lace making and tatting, Egyptian hieroglyphics (she could read and write), classical piano, stamp collecting (with a focus on Antarctica), drawing, sewing, and astronomy. She read the New York Times every day until she passed. Bertha always had a lifelong love of science and animals, particularly cats. She added Swedish to her list of languages she could speak when she met her Sweden born husband. Her favorite mantra was “Once a Marine, Always a Marine!”
Bertha married Dr. Kaj Holmstrand, a plastic surgeon, on October 12, 1963. He preceded her in death on September 4, 2001. Bertha is survived by her daughter, Karen (Phil) Moise of Chelsea, her two grandchildren, Katherine Moise and Jason Moise, and her half-brother, Anthony Santos of Idaho.
A celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, January 29, at Silver Maples, Chelsea, at 2:30 p.m. The burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Semper Fi!
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Comments
neighbor when I lived in Cary, NC. Bertha was always
a sweet lady and very knowledgeable. She will
be missed. Again, sorry for your loss Karen and
Family.