Myrtle Bebe Wertz

Myrtle Thelma Bebe Wertz, of Rocky Mount passed away Sunday, July 10, 2016 at the age of 97. She was born March 30, 1919 to Enos and Myrtle Lucas Wertz in Canada. She was their second child and oldest daughter of 6 children. In 1923 her family moved back to Roanoke, Virginia. She graduated from Jefferson High School in 1937. After graduation she went to Nursing School at Providence Hospital to become a RN and continued training to be a Nurse Anesthesiologist. In the late 40’s she moved to the Norfolk area and worked at DePaul Hospital, the oldest Catholic Public Hospital in Virginia. During Bebe’s career she worked in the Roanoke Valley, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Texas. In 1964 she became a member of the volunteer staff on the SS Hope, a hospital ship which travelled around the world providing medical help, training, and education. On her tour she worked in Guinea, Africa, and Nicaragua. It was during her tour in Nicaragua she was blessed with adopting her daughter, Jane, who had been a patient on the ship during the year it was stationed there. After she and Jane returned to the Roanoke Valley, Bebe resumed working at area hospitals and settled down in Rocky Mount. She was an active Girl Scout leader and founding member of St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. She worked at Franklin Memorial until her retirement and was a volunteer for many years after. She is survived by her daughter, Jane Gue and husband Randy; three grandsons, Nathanael Gue, Ramon Garcia, and Jeorge Garcia; one granddaughter, Hannah Hayashi and husband Tim; four great-grandchildren, Maria, Gabriella, and Matthew Hyashi and Mya Garcia-Torres. She leaves one niece, Judy Caldwell Graham; and three nephews, Dr. Richard Lynch, Joe Hale, and Kit Hale; as well as several great-nieces and nephews; and great-great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Enos and Myrtle Wertz; two brothers, Norman Wertz and Melvin Wertz; and three sisters Alma Lynch, Evelyn Caldwell, and Ginny Hale Cooke. She was also preceded by three nephews, Thomas Lynch, Dr. Vernon Lynch, Stephen Caldwell; and one niece, Susan Lynch Wampler. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 13 from 6-8 PM at Flora Funeral Home with services being held Thursday, July 14 at 2 PM at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Rocky Mount, VA. In lieu of flowers please send donations to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.