Bertha Elbe Obituary Bertha M. Elbe, 94, of Keokuk, went to be with the Lord at 4:10 A.M., Sunday, January 25, 2004. Bertha Elbe was born on October 6, 1909 in Hancock County, Illinois. She was the daughter of Henry and Lula M. Brown Frye. She married James Howard Benjamin Couchman on April 14, 1928 and he preceded her in death on January 20, 1936. She then married Claude Amon on July 2, 1938 and he preceded her in death on October 20, 1941. She later married Arthur R.W. Elbe on June 9, 1942 and he preceded her in death on December 25, 1976. She was a 1927 graduate of Warsaw High School. She had been employed in the office at the Keokuk Medicine Company. She had been a member of the Bel Air Baptist Church in Keokuk since 1975 where she was a longtime Sunday school teacher. She worked in the children's evangelism program and she also served as a Prayer Warrior for the Church. She enjoyed crocheting afghans and hot pad holders and enjoyed giving them to her family, her church family, and to friends. She lived longer than any of her immediate family. Survivors include a son, Donald Couchman and his wife, Darlene, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; a daughter, Doris Mae Ewing and her husband, William, of Emond, Oklahoma; seven grandchildren; two great granddaughters; and five great grandsons. She was preceded in death by her parents; her three husbands; one brother; two half brothers; one half sister; and a sister-in-law, Florence D. Frye. Services were Thursday, January 29, 2004 at DeJong's Funeral Home in Keokuk with Reverend Harold Dorsey of Mt. Pleasant officiating. Burial was in Oakwood Cemetery in Hamilton, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, Bertha had asked that donations be made to the Bel Air Baptist Church of Keokuk.