Bertha May Crosby

Bertha (Bertie) May (Tenace) Crosby, June 28, 1930-December 30, 2023. Daughter of Anthony Joseph Tenace and Ina Myrtle (Place) Tenace.

Bertie was from that generation of classic, elegant Schenectady women who shopped at all the beautiful stores that used to thrive downtown. She was an extraordinarily strong woman who raised four kids and then went to college, then grad school, so she could fulfill her desire to teach elementary school. She came from old Schenectady stock but she didn’t know it (one of her Bronck ancestors was married to Antonia Slagboom!), all she knew was her father’s Italian immigrant family. With her Italian relatives living in nearly every house on the street, she was well supervised as a child. Because her adored mother died at a very young age, Bertie (so nicknamed by her grandmother) and her sister June took on the role of raising their younger siblings.

Bertie worked as a telephone operator prior to marrying Kenneth R. Crosby in 1951. She had four children, each of whom she determined at birth would go to college. After she raised her family, she went on to earn her own bachelor and master’s degrees. She eventually became a teacher in the Schenectady school system, where she taught until she was nearly 70 years old.

After her marriage ended, she found love with her dear companion of more than forty years, Dr. Bill Berglas. Bill passed away just as Bertie’s Alzheimer’s progressed, and for the rest of her life she talked to men as if they were, in fact, Billy. It was a blessing that she never understood that he had predeceased her.

Bertie adored her family and friends. She hosted countless dinners and parties, and certainly was a lady who enjoyed lunch out. She loved to travel to Europe, but Cape Cod was her favorite spot. She participated in many clubs and organizations over the years, and was especially fond of the adult education programs at Union College. She was a member of the St. John the Evangelist church.  She was also one of the founders of the annual Tenace Family Reunion, which she attended for the last time this fall.

In addition to her half-sibling Anthony R. Tenace and her siblings Ina June (Tenace) Germain, Richard J Tenace, Frances Marsha (Tenace) Bollacker, and Ivan Leslie Tenace, she was predeceased by her ex-husband Kenneth Crosby and her partner Dr. Werner (Bill) Berglas, and many cousins, aunts and uncles.

Bertie (fondly known as Ber Ber) is survived by her four children and their spouses, nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Her daughter, Deborah Crosby, granddaughter Maris Papadopoulos,  great grandchildren Leonidas and Xander, granddaughter Rachel Durland, great grandchildren Aurora and Weston.

Her son Kenneth Crosby (Nancy Ellett-Crosby), granddaughter Allison (Crosby) Perkins (Landon), great granddaughters Penelope and Finnley. Granddaughter Tessa Nin Crosby (Anton Alenychev).

Her son Rodney Crosby (Karen), granddaughter Katherine (Crosby) Palanza (Michael), great grandchildren Sophia and Nicolas.  Grandson Kenneth Crosby (Kendall) great grandchildren Sloane and Arlo.  Granddaughter Alexandra Crosby.

Her daughter, Lisa Metzger (Ronald), grandson Bryan, granddaughter Sarah (Metzger) Fallati (Anthony).

And many cousins and nieces and nephews.

She was the proverbial “force to be reckoned with.”

And she will be missed more than words can say.

The family would like to thank the staff at Ellis Residential and Rehabilitation Center, Stockade Unit for their care.

If you would like to make a donation in her name, please consider the Alzheimer Foundation https://www.alz.org/northeasternny

A visitation will take place on Saturday January 6, 2024 from 1-3PM at Bond Funeral Home, 1614 Guilderland Avenue, Schenectady. A memorial service will follow at 3PM.

Inurnment will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery.