ON PARADE – Children dressed as their favorite animals hold a Sitka Spruce Tips 4-H Club banner as they march down Lincoln Street on Earth Day, Monday. The Parade of Species was held in recognition of Earth Day. It was hosted by Sitka Conservation Society, University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service and the Sitka Sound Science Center. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly its regular meeting Tuesday approved dou [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
“We want to hear from the public, what they value i [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Sitka schools were notified at around noon today that the city administrator had re [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s track and field athletes faced off aga [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Alaska is getting an infusion of nearly $125 million to build and [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
The Alaska Senate voted unanimously on Monday to make it easier f [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
The Alaska House’s Rules Committee has eliminated, at least temporaril [ ... ]
By DAVID A. LIEB
The Associated Press
A conservative quest to limit diversity, equity and inclusion in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Alaska’s three-member, bipartisan congressional delegation is sid [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
April 23
At 3:14 a.m. a downtown bar report [ ... ]
Vaughn Blankenship
Dies at Age 91
Vaughn Blankenship, a longtime Sitka resident, died Tuesday at SEARH [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
With about a month left before the end of the regular [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city will hold a public meeting Wednesday for pub [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
With only days to go before the statewide Native Yout [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Daily Sitka Sentinel and KCAW-FM Raven Radio won awards Saturday at the [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
To address a surge in mental health problems among young Alaskans [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill passed Thursday by the Alaska House of Representatives wou [ ... ]
City to Conduct
Relay Testing
The city electric department is conducting systemwide relay testing th [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Another lawsuit that has implications in Southeast Al [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly on Tuesday will consider final reading o [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Competing in their first home games of the season, Si [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Citing what they characterized as unacceptable risks to wildlife [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
The Yup’ik village of Newtok, perched precariously on thawing permafro [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Ursula Barbara Zertuche Dies in Sitka at Age 80
Ursula Barbara Zertuche (Rathe)
Ursula Barbara Zertuche (Rathe) was born on March 4, 1940, in Dusseldorf, Germany, to George and Margaret Rathe. She passed away on May 21 at her home in Sitka.
Ursula grew up in Cologne, Germany, where her parents owned a restaurant and guest house.
She and her sister Annagret worked in the family business, and it was there she developed her love for cooking. She had fond memories of working with her mother in the kitchen and learning the hospitality trade. She attended business school in Cologne, where she took bookkeeping classes.
Ursula met and, in 1963, married Harold Conner, who was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Air Force.
They lived in Germany and Spain for the next three years. Her only child, Ron, was born in Spain on December 8, 1963. They left Germany in 1966 and moved to Virginia, where Harold was stationed. Then it was on to Kansas and Arizona.
She obtained her U.S. citizenship in 1974, while living in Arizona. This was something that made her immensely proud. In Arizona she worked for Motorola and at several restaurants and hotels. She owned two horses while in Arizona, Rocky and Scout. She enjoyed showing and riding them.
In 1980, an opportunity to come to Alaska presented itself. Ursula and her son took the big step and traveled to Sitka. This was obviously a big change from Mesa, Arizona. It didn’t take long for her to appreciate living in a small town. She worked first at the Potlatch House, and then the Sheffield Hotel.
She moved from Sitka, back to Arizona in 1988. There she met and later married Alfonso (Al) Zertuche.
She worked for a hotel/resort in Casa Grande and Al was self-employed. They would take many weekend trips to Las Vegas or Laughlin. Following Al’s retirement in 2000, they moved to Del Rio, Texas, where Al was originally from. He passed away in 2008 and Ursula moved back to Sitka in 2013. She lived in the apartment at her son and daughter-in-law’s home until her death.
Ursula loved to cook for her family, spend time with family and friends, read, and walk her dog.
Although she had numerous health issues, she was always fiercely independent. She would hardly ever ask for any assistance.
“We will miss her stories, sense of humor, her tenacity and, of course, her cooking,” her family said.
Her survivors include her son Ron and daughter-in-law Sonja Conner of Sitka; grandson Chatham Conner and Samantha Sparks, and great-granddaughter Brigsleigh Conner, Sitka; grandsons Carson Conner of Wasilla and Josiah Hill of Montana; grandson Traz and Lanie Hill, and great-grandsons Bryson and Bryn of Idabel, Oklahoma; grandson Bailey Hill and great-granddaughter Mila Baylor of Spokane, Washington.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Brave Heart Volunteers or the Swan Lake Senior Center.
Memorial services will be announced at a later date.
Login Form
20 YEARS AGO
April 2004
Michael Stringer, environmental specialist for Sitka Tribe of Alaska and a founder of the community garden, takes the concept of Earth Week literally. This weekend he hopes others will share his appreciation for “earth” and things growing in it by joining him in preparing the community garden just behind Blatchley Middle School for another growing season.
50 YEARS AGO
April 1974
Classified ads Houses for Sale: Price dropped to $36,500 for 2-story, 4-bdrm. carpeted home on Cascade. Kitchen appliances, drapes, laundry room, carport, handy to schools.