Bill Bertken

Funeral services for former Bishop resident Bill Bertken, 57, will be held Saturday, Oct. 29, 12 noon, 
at Oakwood Memorial Chapel in Santa Cruz.

Mr. Bertken died Oct. 24 in Santa Cruz of heart failure.

He retired in 1991 from a long career as a manager for Caltrans.  He was Chief of Personnel from 1979 
to 1989.  From 1989 until his retirement, he chaired California Transporation Directions, a strategic 
planning panel which sets goals for public transportation policy through 2010.  The report from this 
effort continues to guide Caltran's long-term planning.

Prior to Mr. Bertken's promotion to Sacrament, he was district personnel manager in San Diego from 
1970 to 1979, and in Bishop from 1966 to 1969.  He started his career in his hometown of Fresno as 
assistant personnel analyst from 1958 to 1965.

Mr. Bertken spent the first two years of his retirement supervising the design and construction of 
his home near Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz.  He looked forward to a retirement of fishing, golf, 
travel and active involvement in his community. 

Survivors include his wife, Susan; sons, Chris of San Diego, and Josh of Soda Spirngs; daughter, 
Ann of Santa Cruz; sister Mary Jo Fitchlorn of Fresno; and brother, Richard of Fresno.

Remembrances to the Bill Bertken Sudden Death Prevention Trust are preferred.  The address is 343 
Soquel Avenue #167, Santa Cruz, CA  95062.  The trust will sponsor needed research in practical 
approaches to screening for and preventing premature deaths.

The Inyo Register
Bishop, Inyo County, California
Friday, October 28, 1994 - Page A-2

Transcribed by Pat Houser for Inyo County GenWeb, September 15, 2004