Roberta Anne Hertha Elser, of Killen, Alabama was born January 20, 1952, in Lutheran Hospital in Hot Springs, SD. She had a rocky start due to being born with hip dysplasia that never showed up on x-rays. Her doctor finally discovered it in time to put her in a body cast. Her father told her one time that he thought his world had come to an end when her doctor said he could not guarantee that the body cast would work. Her family moved to Alabama in 1956. She was the oldest of six, three were born in South Dakota and three were born in Alabama.
In 1970, she won the Betty Crocker homemaker award and graduated in the top quarter of her high school class. From there she went to Florence State University, and graduated in 1974. She received an award for having the highest average in marketing. She also got into Kappa Omicron Phi (Home Economics Honor Society).
She attended Dr. Christopher online school and attained the level of Family Herbalist.
She is survived by her husband, Robert M. Elser, Jr.; brothers, David W. Hertha (Donna) and Douglas J. Hertha (Nancy); sisters, Dianne Hertha Smith (Robert) and Jennie L. Hertha; two nieces, Laura N. Smith and Jamie K. Hertha; three nephews, Steven L. Smith, Bradley M. Smith, and Robert W. Hertha; uncles, Tom Birdsall (Janice), Joe Birdsall (Debbie), and Fred Maynard; several cousins; spiritually adopted children, Daniel and Judy Aguilar and grandchildren, Jayce and Joe Aquilar.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Betty Birdsall Hertha and Kenneth Robert Hertha; brother, Ronald A. Hertha; grandparents, Jennie Pohl Hertha and Louis Hertha, Ada Gertrude Birdall, Thedore Birdsell Sr. and Julia Birdall.
Funeral services will be Saturday, January 27, 2024, at 1 PM at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Huntsville, Alabama. Burial will be at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Center Star, Killen, Alabama, the Wounded Warrior, or to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Elkins East Chapel is assisting the family.
