Fond memories of Bertha Palmer Wohlers 1909-1999, a friend, volunteer and long time supporter of Project Wildlife

by Meryl Faulkner,PW Bd. Of Directors
Seabird/Shorebird & Skunk Team Leader

I first met Bert in early 1980 when after finding one of her pigeon flock in distress and discovering Project Wildlife, she offered to volunteer by transporting animals in the beach area. She was in her early 70's, her husband Hank had died a few years previously and she felt like getting out a bit. She belonged to many animal organizations, still golfed occasionally, belonged to the San Diego Miniatures Society and fed a flock of pigeons. She became an expert at removing twine and thread from pigeon toes! The serious injuries she brought to us for help, then kept them in a cage in her home in Mission Beach while they recuperated. She had a few choice words about a neighbor who was shooting at "her" birds, and reluctantly cut down on her daily handouts until the birds fed elsewhere. Before her arthritis and knee surgeries slowed her down she picked up birds from the lifeguards at Mission Beach and brought them to volunteers.

I last talked to Bert before my trip to Europe in early September. There came a knock at the door " Your friend came to the wrong house" said my neighbor smiling, Bert clutching his arm. At age 90 she had driven up to my house to deliver the many nature and environmental magazines which she passed on to me for reading every few months. She stayed for over an hour, leaning up against the car, refusing the offer of a chair. She wasn't feeling too well, she said but she had this nice young man - a volunteer with one of the social services - who came and helped her on errands once in a while.

Bert had been invited as a local author to a book signing later in the month which would feature her memoir, "Follow The Light". I already had a copy, a fascinating tale of Bertha's family and their theatrical connections. Her father Scott Palmer owned and ran first the Pickwick Theater in 1904 then the Savoy. "I'll come to the signing" I said, "we'll go for lunch". " It's a date, honey", she said. She drove off a little shakily, I had offered to drive her home, "Heck no I'll be fine" she said firmly, independent to the end. Unfortunately when I got back from my trip, Bert had died in her sleep the day before.

She was a character. She delighted in telling me some hilariously off color jokes, I could never figure out where she heard them. Rereading her memoir reminded me of her full life. I remember her delight in telling of her Studebaker Roadster - she was the first girl in San Diego to drive a convertible. During the 20's she lived on State Street when it was still unpaved. Laurel St was a steep dirt hill, to get to Mission Beach she drove over the bridge and up a dirt road.

While at the Savoy helping her dad she met Gary Cooper (cute blue eyes) and Ruby Keeler. She learned ballet and the violin and played in the early San Diego Philharmonic and in a string quartet on KFSD. She worked awhile for the Evening Tribune, became interested in golf and ended up becoming a champion golfer. She married twice, Hank her beloved second husband died after 32 years (they were both avid golfers, friends of Billy Casper and Gene Littler) . Ten years later she found companionship when an old high school beau (himself a widower) came back in to her life. "I guess we'll be living in sin, honey, I invited him to move in with me!" she confessed with a twinkle in her eye. Before his sad death from Alzheimer's they took several fun trips. Bert loved to travel and had visited Alaska, China, Hawaii, and Aruba.

She was always fascinated by wildlife we took in. She'd always had pets as a child and loved animals. " Will you look at those tiny things" she would say shaking her head in amazement at the tiny gaping baby birds. " I don't know how all you people do all of this. Now, you let me know if there's anything you folks need." Several aviaries were the result of her generous nature.

Always looking on the bright side, ready with a joke and a chuckle, and constant in her concern for the welfare of animals, she'll be missed by everyone who knew her.

Erik Lee Ortega
Former Project Wildlife volunteer & son of P.W. volunteers Andy & Rrose Ortega.

Erik died at 21 years of age doing what he loved–body boarding at marine street. He cared so much about animals and especially helping with the rescue, rehab and release of wildlife with his mother at Project Wildlife.

Andy & Rose Ortega Geri Smith	Debbie Beam Lyn Lacye Seifert

In Memory of Betty Rosenquist
Karl Rosenquist

In Memory of Louise & Kent Ewing
Margaret L. Whittemore
Mary Elliot

In Memory of Donna Barron Kiefer
Gisela Koestner

In Memory of Sadie Berman
Izetta Jones

In Memory of the Loving Mother of Howard Roth
Syble & Tom Chandik

In Memory of P.W. volunteer Anne Baumhofer
Judith Cope
Ruth Hayward

In Memory of Chris Leighton
The Jewell Family
Jean & Jim Leighton
Johnstone Family - Nancy, John, Eric, and Bruce
John & Elsa Machado
Bob Pflimlin
Mr. & Mrs. Alberic de Laet

In Memory of Chuck Baker
friend of project wildlife who helped build (with his son & fellow rotary members) and finance 2 coyote enclosures and 2 pigeon & dove enclosures

Camille & Tom Rothenburg
Lyn & Martin Seifert

In Memory of Melissa "Missy" Tinz Wells
PW Volunteer Louise Tinz
Glenn S. Motonaga & Kiyomi Motonaga
Judy Motonaga, Mother
Tom and Jane Rasmussen, and Kerry Short
Marilyn & Carl Bernhardt
Tony & Karen Yuritich
Linda & Jack Brandt
Gary Motonaga
Mary Matlack
Lois Phillips
Amy M. Rider

P.W. Wider & Wilder Program

In Honor of Gisela Koestner
Susan J. Smalley

In Honor of Chad MacAllister
Jill MacAllister

In Honor of Leslie & Mark Polinsky
Pete & Tia McCollum

In honor of Patty & Mike Thorpe
Alicia Gimenez
Jan Moseley

In Honor of Rebecca Bartlett
Abigail Brown

In honor of Sue Sorrento
Patti and Paul Mickelsen

Ways to Give:
Endowment Program
United Way Donations
Flowers for Wildlife

Programs:
Education Department and Programs