Bertha Laura Cripps, born March 22, 1936 peacefully passed away in her sleep on Sunday, February 25, 2024, in Laguna Hills at the age of 87. She reunites with her parents, Wilfred and Alice Belliveau, her sisters Rita, Jeannette, Cecilia, Alice, and her brother James. Bertha is survived by four sisters, Mary Guptill, Shirley Christman, Patricia Dever, and Catherine Raymond, along with her two brothers, Wilfred and Thomas. Additionally, she leaves behind her five children: William Alexander Cripps, Richard Jay Cripps, Paul Edward Cripps, Lynne Marie Adamson, and Laura Anne Gadsby. Bertha was also a cherished grandmother to 10 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Bertha was the sixth child among twelve to Wilfred and Alice. After graduating from St. Mary's Girls' High School in 1953, she began working as a medical secretary to Dr. Tomas E. Culliton. It was during this time that she met Richard "Dick" Cripps, with whom she fell in love. They married on January 21, 1956, in sunny California. They settled in Culver City, where they welcomed their three sons. Later, they moved to Hawthorne, California, where their two daughters were born. They remained in Hawthorne until their children were grown and on their own.

Bertha put aside her aspirations of becoming a nurse to raise her five children. Once her youngest started grade school, she found employment in the office at Alta Dena Dairy. Later, she worked as an infant caregiver, utilizing the Resources for Infants Educarers (RIE) methodology, which she adored until her health prompted her retirement.

Bertha was a devoted wife, a wonderful mother, a loyal sister, a loving grandmother, a caring aunt, a devoted friend, and a faithful Catholic. Known by many names—Bertha, Bert, Bertie, Mom, Tweety Bird, T-Bert, and Grandma— her greatest joy was being a grandmother.

A Rosary will commence at McCormick & Sons Mortuary in Laguna Hills on March 14, 2024, at 6:00 PM. The Funeral will be held at Saint Nicholas Church in Laguna Woods, CA, on March 15, 2024, at 10:30 AM, followed by burial at El Toro Memorial Cemetery at 12:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Bertha's memory with a donation to The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, an international Catholic charity, at https://ssvpusa.org/ OR NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) at https://donate.nami.org/ .

To view webcasting of services, click HERE .