Jeannie Bird

Jeannie M. Bird, 75, passed away peacefully at CHI St. Alexius Health, Bismarck, on Thursday, May 4, 2017. Services will be held at 10:00 am Monday, May 8, at Bethel Lutheran Church, 615 E Turnpike Ave, Bismarck. Visitation will be held from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Sunday, May 7, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 4:00 pm. Graveside services will be held at 5:00 pm Monday, May 8, at the Riverside Cemetery, Hillsboro, ND. Jeannie Marie Watts was born at Forsyth, MT, on June 1, 1941, to Henry A. and Lydia M. (Reichert) Watts. She grew up in the Kinsey/Miles City, MT, area and graduated from Custer County High School in Miles City, MT. She attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, and the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, MN. She met and married Carl Fred Hertwig of Blanchard, ND, and was married on November 17, 1962, at First Lutheran Church in Miles City, MT. They farmed and owned a bulk fuel dealership in Blanchard, ND. They had two children, Linda and David. Carl died on September 4, 1981. Jeannie met Robert “Bob” Bird and they were married at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND, on May 9, 1987. They resided in Champaign, IL, until 1991 when they moved to Woodbury, MN. Bob retired in 2000 and they moved to Bismarck. Jeannie had a beautiful singing voice and sang in musicals in high school and other musical groups; the summer musical in Hillsboro, ND; many solos in her church and as a guest soloist in other churches and as a wedding soloist. She also played the organ and piano in church while growing up in the Kinsey area. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, and quilting. She had an interest in genealogy and enjoyed being the family’s genealogist. Jeannie’s real joy was her family and their special events, and adorning family grave sites with flowers. Anyone who ever met her could not help but admire her gentle, compassionate, and caring way. To know her was to love her. She will be missed by many and cannot be replaced. Jeannie is survived by her husband, Bob of almost 30 years; her children, Linda (Clay) Hoag, Bismarck, and David Hertwig, Austin, TX; grandsons, Bryon (Alisha) Hoag, Justin (Breana) Hoag, and Bender (Shannon) Hoag, all of Bismarck; great-grandchildren, Braydon, Kylan, Bryson, Kellen, Quinn, and was eagerly awaiting the birth of the 6th great-grandchild; her brother, Bob Watts, Forsyth, MT; sister, Judi (Steve) Erickson, Greeley, CO; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Kandie; and her first husband, Carl Hertwig.