Bert W. was one of Renaissance Village Murrieta’s first male senior care residents. He was born in Artesia, CA on August 17, 1931. He grew up in Bellflower, CA on his father’s dairy. While his father worked on the dairy, his mother kept the home running as a housewife.
Bert remembers playing in the dirt with his younger brother, Jake, fighting over toy trucks. He graduated from Excelsior High School and went onto Cerritos College and Long Beach State, where he studied police science. He enlisted in the Air Force and served for four years, stationed in England in the Food Service Department.
Life in Holland
Although his folks lived in California at that time, most of his family lived in Holland. Whenever he had some furlough time saved up, he’d go visit them in Hilversum, Holland. He had a cousin the same age and they’d hang out together. It was during his visits that he met his future wife, Shirley.
Shirley was a nurse at a sanitarium and his cousin introduced the two. On one occasion, Shirley was going to take a furlough, and Bert offered to drive her home in his rental car. Upon which, he later asked her out
and they drove around because not too many people in Holland had cars so it was a real treat. They were together for 6 months and the mayor of her hometown in Holland married them. Bert and Shirley were married for almost 50 years and had two children, a boy, Sam, and a girl, Arlene. His daughter, Arlene, and grandson, Shaun live locally in Temecula.
When they returned to the U.S., he returned to the dairy business for two years in Kent, Washington. He remembers freezing as he worked 12-14 hours a day milking cows twice a day by machine. He owned one of the highest producing dairy farms in Washington.
Officer Bert W.
After selling off the dairy, they returned to Artesia and he served with the Compton Police Department. He enjoyed going out and meeting the people and served with the force for 16 years before he suffered a gunshot wound. The bullet went through his neck and hit a telephone pole behind him. The wound messed up his shoulder and as a result, he spent a month in the hospital recovering. He then made the decision to retire, later serving as a private investigator for accidents.
Bert loves the staff at Renaissance Village Murrieta. He appreciates the care they provide and the fact that activities are resident-driven. This means he can do what he enjoys to do each day, like reading a great mystery novel.
