06/05/2026
The OAN is saddened to report the passing of Gary ‘Bert’ Bertelson on May 27. He was born December 31, 1953 in Portland, Oregon and was 72 years old at the time of his passing.
He had a long career in nursery transportation including 8 years at Integrity Logistics in Wilsonville, from where he retired in 2025. He previously worked at Pathfinder Logistics, Northland Express Transport and was the owner of Grandview Enterprises. It was through his profession that he met his wife of 17 years, Pam Schmitz, who was also in the nursery industry.
Gary Bertelson was well-loved and liked by many in the industry. He was a fixture at the Farwest Show for many years. “He lived life to the fullest and was loved by many,” Schmitz said.
“The guy is an absolute legend,” said Dan Gibson, president of Integrity Logistics. “Bert is the type of guy that you will never find a person that doesn’t like him. He was always in good spirits, positive, had a great head on his shoulders and had a gift for connecting with people. He’s the type of guy you always want to be around. Kind to everyone and great-hearted.”
“Bert was at Northland when we were first made contact, over 15 years ago,” said Fred de Boer of Mainland Floral. “We had the same mindset, having both spent significant time behind the wheel of a semi. We understood each other well, we were cut from the same cloth … and after I did the Farwest Show in a loud blazer, Bert got the drift of that vibe also.”
The pair challenged each other to be the coolest dressed guys on the floor at the Farwest Show. “Sadly, that competition is no longer…he will be missed.”
Gary Bertelsen is survived by his wife Pam, daughter Dawn Neef, son Eddie Bertelson and twin brothers Jerry and Larry Bertelson.
A celebration of life is tentatively planned for mid-July. The family plans to announce more details at a later date.
