Bertha Ballingham Wardleigh was born in Grouse Creek, Utah on November 28, 1906, a daughter of Albert James and Louisa Emiline Paskett Ballingham.

Bertha, George and Melba Ballingham – 1942

She had the following brothers and sisters, Melba Louise, Lester Albert, Mertrice Geneva, Verda Emily, George William , Treasa Venette, and James Wendell.

She was reared and educated in Grouse Creek and married Raymond E. Wardleigh on August 22, 1928 in Brigham City, Utah. They were parents of Gloria V., George R., Dorothy Mae and Helen L.

Bertha and Ray

Ray joined the Southern Pacific railroad in 1917 and retired in 1961 as a locomotive engineer.

She was a member of the LDS Church where she was active in all auxiliaries, including organist.

She lived in Ogden more than sixty years. She worked in Lucin before moving to Ogden. In later years she worked for the school lunch program. 

The grandkids remember Bertha for her candy and cookies. She always had some exotic candy to treat our taste buds, but what we loved most was the cookies she made for us, usually fresh after we would arrive, but in later years she would have them baked already and would retrieve them from the freezer. They were such marvelous chocolate chip cookies baked to perfection.

We loved going for dinners as well. She was a wonderful cook having done it professionally as well for the school system. Every meal was cooked to perfection. On occasion in the summertime we would go get ice and make homemade ice cream. It was incredible to take the ingredients and pour them into the little churn, add salt to the ice and watch the ice cream form as we worked the churn. 

Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners were absolutely marvelous and was an opportunity to gorge ourselves on my grandmother’s homemade rolls, which have no equal. 

Ray and Bertha Wardleigh

She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of Southern Pacific Engineers and held leadership positions there.

She passed away May 31, 1988.