Gerri Bertalotto
Hometown: Rocky Comfort, Mo.
Family: Son, Bill Bertalotto; daughter Vickie Intessimone; son, Gary Bertalotto; and daughter, Marsha Long, who passed away in July; nine grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
In Town: Gerri Bertalotto co-owns the Rocky Mart.
“This building was an old garage and after retiring from being a surgery nurse, I had it insolated and fixed up on the inside. I like to say that we are like the Wal-Mart of Rocky Comfort, that’s why we call it Rocky Mart. Vickie, is co-owner and helps me run the store and she has the Beauty Shop and tanning salon. We are very much like the old time general store; carrying everything you need from food, personal care items, home décor, gardening supplies, hardware and household cleaning items.”
“One thing that is new in the last couple of months is we started carrying bulk goods for the Amish community that has grown here over the last couple of years. There are now about 25 – 30 families in the area and they asked us to carry exclusive Amish products.
“We will be opening up the deli soon and we will carry fireworks in July like we have in the past. The next change will be adding another room for nothing but year round holiday items.”
In the Country: Bill, Gary and Vickie all live near the home place and along with Gerri, all own cattle over the 300-plus acres.
Gary takes care of the largest part of the herd every evening when he gets home from his job overseeing the buses and maintenance at the Wheaton School. He is also in charge of all the haying for the cattle operation.
Bill has a separate operation just south of the home place.
“I raise all the heifers here on the home place and they take care of the rest,” Gerri said. “Vickie also raises Banty (Bantam) chickens, mostly for fun. We can’t see ourselves anywhere else.”
