CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – Luberta Ellen Kiser of Champaign, Illinois died at 8:40 pm Saturday, July 13th at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois. Luberta or “Bertie” as she was called by her family and friends was born on September 1, 1936 in a farmhouse just south of Greenup, Illinois. She was the daughter of Irma (Green) Gabel and Harold Gabel.
Bertie attended Greenup elementary school and graduated from Cumberland High School in 1954. Following high school graduation she moved to Decatur, Illinois where she attended the “Decatur School of Beauty Culture.” She completed her training in 1955, passed the state exam and received her license to practice cosmetology in the state of Illinois.
Bertie or “Bert” as she was called later in life worked as a beautician in Decatur where she met her future husband, Stanley C. Kiser. Bert and Stan were married on June 18th, 1955 in Decatur. Bert and Stan had two children, Michael born in 1956 and Steven born in 1959. The family moved to Champaign in 1965. Bert, after taking time to raise her two children went back to work, first at Christie Clinic and then at the University of Illinois where she retired in 1997.
Bert and Stan enjoyed many years of retirement spending winters in Ft. Myers, Florida and summers in Champaign. Bert enjoyed playing cards with friends, playing golf, spending time on their boat at Lake Shelbyville and following University of Illinois football and basketball. She also loved to camp and travel especially to the Smokey Mountain National Park. She especially enjoyed spending time with her family including her five grandchildren and her great grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her parents Harold and Irma Gabel and her brother, Walter Gabel. She is survived by her husband of 69 years Stan Kiser, two sons, Michael and his wife Rosalie, and Steven and his wife Brenda, five grandchildren Jeremy, Jake, James, Jesse and Cassandra Jolline, and one great grandson Daniel.
Condolences may be offered at Morgan Memorial Home.