Katherine Bartsch

It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Katherine Bartsch. 

Katherine Ens was born January 26, 1931, to Frank and Lena Ens in the Bluebird School District near Mayfair Saskatchewan. She completed grades 1 – 8  in the Bluebird School which was on the same yard as Grandma & Grandpa Wiebe’s house.

Her father Frank Ens was a preacher, and many Sundays were spent travelling to small nearby churches. Christmas programs, Daily Vacation Bible Schools (DVBS) were part of growing up as well as visiting aunts, uncles and cousins who lived close by.

Ater completing Grade 8, she continued schooling at Rosthern Junior College. While there, she worked weekends in the Old Folks Home, went on tour with a singing group and taught DVBS during the summer in many areas near Mayfair.

When 12 years of schooling were done, she worked in Winnipeg for a short time before returning to Saskatoon. There she met George Bartsch and on September 10, 1954, there were married. Mary, Philip, Stan, and Carolyn were born in Saskatoon before they decided the city was not a  place to raise kids. They moved to Sidney and from there to Austin where Lorna was born. They farmed at Austin many years before retiring to an acreage south of Austin and later into Austin. During this “retirement time” they went to Camp Courageous in Iowa for a few months, fruit drying tours to California and Okanogan.

After this they ended up in Gladstone for a couple of years and when Covid hit it was decided Mom did not need to be in a Care Home, so they moved to McCreary Alpine Manor for about a year. By then Mom needed more care than Dad could give her and they moved back to Gladstone for most of two more years. Here she passed away June 14, 2025, just seven months and 3 days after Dad.

She was predeceased by her husband George; one brother, John, in infancy; another brother John when he was fourteen; her parents: Frank and Lena Ens; one daughter; Lorna Richter; one son, Phil; a son-in-law, Dale Richter; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She leaves to rejoice she is in a better place, her daughter Mary (Dwayne) Whitehead and family; son Stan (Charlotte) Bartsch; daughter Carolyn (Murray)Bunnett and family; Lorna and Dale Richter’s family; daughter-in-law Wendy Schwartz; many great grandchildren, step grand and great grandchildren, and numerous cousins.