Adelbert Joseph Nett

Bert, the youngest of six children was born at home to Joseph and Clara Ternes Nett on March

14, 1933 near St. Joe (Ost Kansas). Bert attended elementary grades at St. Joes Catholic

School. After graduating from 8th grade he entered St. Meinard Seminary, at St. Meinrad,

Indiana and remained there for the next twelve years in completing his studies for the

priesthood.

Bert was ordained to the priesthood on May 19, 1959 for the Dodge City Kansas diocese where

he ministered for the next 25 years, first as the assistant pastor at the Cathedral in Dodge City

Kansas, followed by assignments at St. Joseph’s Church in Ellinwood Kansas, and at St. John’s

church in Hoisington Kansas. While not a student of music, he activated a successful choir of

high school students in Hoisington that shared their singing talents at various functions around

the diocese. In both parishes he organized a fast pitch softball team on which he played.

In 1969 he was assigned to enroll at the Institute for the Study of the Human Person under the

directions of Dr. Carl Rogers in La Jolla, California. After which he became a staff member at the

Rocky Mountain Center in Boulder, Colorado. An outcome of his work and study provided an

opportunity to partner with others for several years in conducting leadership and interpersonal

skills workshops throughout Kansas and in the Denver-Boulder area.

In late 1971 Bert was appointed pastor of the Catholic Church in Meade Ks. There he was

instrumental in sponsoring a successful high school student youth center. While in Meade he

was invited by the United Methodist Church of Western Kansas to collaborate with them as staff

in conducting a youth camp each summer. He remained a staff member for ten years. During

the last five years, he co-directed the camp, at which they became ecumenical and Catholic

Youth were invited to attend. 

Shortly after his arrival in Meade in 1972, he underwent one of the country’s early open-heart

surgeries in Denver, Colorado.

Being deeply inspired by the themes and work of the Second Vatican Council Bert welcomed,

embraced and strongly believed in the involvement and participation of the laity. Energized by

the priest-nun team which Bert helped coordinate, the newly formed pastoral team served 7

parishes. Armed with the strong belief of involvement and collaboration the team assisted

parishes in forming parish councils and in developing skills for collaborative parish decision

making and slowly bringing into play many of the liturgical changes inspired by the Second

Vatican Council.

During this time Bert also co-facilitated, for five years, with Doctor Jerry Streker an experimental

Values Clarification class at St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City Kansas.

In 1984, Bert withdrew from active priestly ministry to study holistic health at Boulder Colorado.

His involvement in outreach programs from the health center fed his spirit and he became

involved in programs at which he prospered and thrived.

Bert began a second career when he married Hope Steffens-Nett on October 16, 1987. They

lived in south Boulder for thirty-four (34) years (Hope died of Pancreatic Cancer in June of

2022.) His work tenure during this time included being Maintenance Director at Golden West

Manor Senior Retirement Center in Boulder. He retired in 2006.

In honor of the approaching Jubilee Year, In 1999 Bert became one of a committee of three,

who began a large vegetable garden project at Sacred Heart of Mary Parish, Boulder, to provide

fresh produce to those lacking sufficient food. Following this first endeavor other gardens sprang

up and became known as Earth’s Table. Earth’s Table donates 100% of its produce to various

food banks in Boulder County. All gardens are staffed by volunteers. To date Earth’s Table has

donated approximately 250,000 lbs. In 2017 ABC channel 7 of Denver awarded Bert the

Everyday Hero Award for his involvement in Earth’s Table which has now reached 25 years.

Bert will always be remembered by so many for his non-judgmental listening skills, his

gentleness and kindness, his humor. He enjoyed riding his bicycle & motorcycle.

A most memorable event for Bert was traveling in 2006 to visit the grave of his brother, Ralph,

who died in World War II and was buried at the US Military Cemetery in Nettuno Italy. He was

very fortunate at that time to be present at the death and funeral of St. Pope John Paul II. He

witnessed the burial on a giant screen at the Coliseum. Nothing, he said, would ever match that.

Bert is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Hope, his parents, Joseph, and Clara, his three

brothers, Ralph, Ronald and Gerald, his two sisters, Emilene Ast and Marietta Whalen, and

nieces, nephews and forever friends.

Bert requests that in lieu of flowers, people attending the funeral bring canned goods or garden

produce for local food banks, or spend some time volunteering in any of the gardens of Earth’s

Table.

Funeral services will be at Sacred Heart of Jesus in Boulder June 9, at 10am and burial in the

Sacred Heart of Mary cemetery in Boulder, CO.