Susan C. Bertram

Susan Lorz Bertram, 58, of Saegertown, victoriously met her Lord and Savior after waging a 22 year war with cancer on Wednesday, March 4, 2015.

She was born in Meadville November 25, 1956 a daughter of Cyril F. and Nancy Miller Lorz, Jr.  She married Dr. K. James Bertram September 19, 1987 and he survives.

She was a 1974 graduate of Meadville High School, attended Penn State Behrend and graduated in 1980 as valedictorian of her class at Median School of Allied Health Careers in Pittsburgh.  She began her career as a veterinarian technician at Pittsburgh Spay and Vaccination Clinic, then she worked at the Conneaut Lake Veterinary Hospital and then worked on the Research and Development Team at Ainsworth Pet Nutrition for the past 18 years.

Throughout Susie’s life, she demonstrated a love for animals, a keen sense of right and wrong, tremendous loyalty, steadfast faith in God and unending fight during adversity.  She had a passionate love for her family and her husband and daughter benefited greatly from her Food Network caliber cooking ability.  Susie and Jim also had a lifelong romance with Hawaii, especially the island of Kauai, where they had spent a second honeymoon.  During her long battle with cancer, she never let it define her.  She felt it was part of her journey and she tried to project this to those around her. She enjoyed her many pets over the years, including her Golden Retriever, Honey Bun.  She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Survivors, in addition to her husband Jim of 27 years, include: a daughter, Sarah M. Bertram of Saegertown; her mother, Nancy Lorz of Meadville; three sisters, Cindy Hoge and her husband John of Trenton, NJ, Rebecca Smart and her companion, Randy Ebert of Plattville, CO and Karen Figel and her husband Richard of Butler; a sister-in-law, Kenlo McGowan and her husband Benedict of Saegertown; four nephews, Tyler Lorz and his wife Kristine, Ryan Smart, John S. Hoge and David Hoge; a niece, Brianne Smart and her mother-in-law, Lois Bertram of Saegertown.

In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by a brother, Steven Lorz.

Calling hours will be Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, Inc., 581 Chestnut Street, Meadville.

The funeral service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 649 Park Avenue, Meadville with Rev. Benjamin Travis, Pastor, officiating.

Interment will be in Saegertown Cemetery.

The family suggests memorials be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 649 Park Avenue, Meadville, PA 16335.

Memories and condolences may be shared at www.waidfuneralhome.net