Bertha had six children from two marriages and two partnerships. The obituary for Bertha Wheeler names five of her children: sons Edward Gwiazdowski, Russell Nadeau, and Nathan Wilcox, and daughters Marge Anilowski and Shirley Botelho. Her daughter Dolores Fox is inexplicably not included.¹

Her first marriage to Edward Gwiazdowski in the early 1920s produced one child, also named Edward Gwiazdowski, born in 1924. Her husband Edward died in 1929, and Bertha married Emil William Nadeau the next year. It is believe that Bertha and Emil had no children together, and that their marriage was short and ended in divorce. The cause may have been related to Bertha giving birth to daughter Marguerite (Marge) in late 1930, and to daughter Shirley in late 1931, both by William Hanna, who is identified as their father in Shirley’s obituary (she died in 2002). The same obituary also lists Marilyn Daniel as a sister of Shirley, but Marilyn is believed to be the daughter of William and a woman other than Bertha. William Hanna has not been found in any other records.

Neither Bertha, husband Emil, nor son Edward have been found in the 1930 census, and nothing more is known about Emil. Bertha is probably the Mrs. Bertha M. Nadeau shown in the 1933-37 city directories for New London, Connecticut.

Family sources indicate that Bertha had two children by John McPherson, although his name has not been found in any associated records. Their son Russell was born in 1937 in New London, and their daughter Dolores was born in 1938 in the Connecticut State Farm for Women, Niantic, (now York Correctional Institution) while Bertha was incarcerated there. Both Dolores and Russell were born with the Nadeau surname since Bertha continued to use her married name Nadeau until 1943 when she married Nathan W. Wheeler. Their son Nathan W. Wheeler, Jr., was born in 1945.

Family sources indicate that Dolores was born in the Connecticut State Farm for Women (now York Correctional Institution) while her mother Bertha was incarcerated there. Dolores was born with the Nadeau name since Bertha continued to use her married name Nadeau until 1943 when she remarried to Nathan M. Wheeler. Dolores was adopted and raised by her aunt Mary Clark and her husband Elmer Hannaford.