ALVA "BUNNY" NICHOLSON ABERT, born on August 22, 1924 in Childress, Texas passed away on July 17, 2005 at the age of 80. She was a graduate of Rockdale HS and attended Business College in Austin. Bunny's multi-faceted career includes a term of service in the U.S. Coast Guard SPARS where she achieved the rank of petty officer. She then became chief claims examiner at the Veterans Hospital in Houston, where she worked closely with the FBI on investigations involving fraud. In 1954 Bunny became a loan epresentative for the Federal Housing Administration and gained vast knowledge of the scope and responsibilities of the FHA program. She became the manager of a local real estate company in the mid 60's serving as a liaison between the FHA and VA. She was president of Berg Realty of Texas, with 5 offices in the Houston area. Berg Realty, originated in New Jersey, and was the second largest publicly owned real estate brokerage company in the nation over a period of 27 years. Bunny was a member of the Million Dollar Club, the Houston Board of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, National Institute of Real Estate Brokers, TREPAC and GRI. She also taught real estate classes for Houston Community College. After retiring, she went back to work for the U.S. government in the Defense Fuel Dept. in Houston. She is memorialized at the Woman's War Museum at Arlington National Cemetery. Bunny Abert is preceded in death by her husband, Donald F. Abert of 47 years; brother, W.H. Nicholson; sisters Lola Porter and Mary Helen Boyd. She is survived by her daughter, Donna Andrich and husband, Michael; grandson, Matthew Dyer; brothers, J.R. and Olvis Nicholson; sister, Norma Bender; numerous other brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 6 to 8 P.M. on Thursday, July 21, 2005 at The Settegast-Kopf Co. Funeral Directors, 3320 Kirby Drive. A funeral service will be held at 10 A.M. on Friday, July 22, 2005 in The Chapel of The Settegast-Kopf Co. Funeral Directors, with interment to follow in Houston National Cemetery.
Published in The Houston Chronicle, Thursday, July 21, 2005