Alta E. Hertje was born on December 23, 1912, near Stillwater, Oklahoma, to Henry Martin and Abbie Lena (Bennett) Oldham. She attended a one room country school at Olive Grove. In 1922 the family moved to Braman, Oklahoma, where she graduated from Braman High School. On August 20, 1932, she married Verne George Hertje in Winfield, Kansas, and they lived on a farm near Braman. They later moved to Arkansas City, Kansas, to make their home. In 1942 they moved to Purcell, Oklahoma. Following the death of her husband in 1978 she moved to Bridgeport in 1983 to be near her daughter.

Survivors include two daughters, Verla Groeneveld and husband Lucas of Bridgeport, Washington, and Arvella Lensing and husband Gregory of Chicago, Illinois; grandchildren, Glenn Groeneveld and wife Rebekah of White Salmon, Washington, Verne Groeneveld and wife Kathi of Jones, Oklahoma, Roy Groeneveld of Bellingham, Washington, Bruce Groeneveld and wife Hannah of Eugene, Oregon, and James Lensing of Chicago, Illinois; thirteen great grandchildren; and seven great great grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 1, 2007, at the Riverview Cemetery west of Tonkawa, Oklahoma.

The family will gather at the funeral home at 10:00 a.m. on the day of the service.