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Bertha Smith Missing Person Case

Last seen in Phoenix, Arizona on Jun 1, 1944

Victim Details

Jul 28, 2011

Mar 25, 2024

Bertha

Smith

113

31

60 inches

65 inches

120 lbs

140 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

Jun 1, 1944

Phoenix

Arizona

Maricopa County

10522

Phoenix Police Department

Phoenix

Arizona

Maricopa County

85004

Stuart Somershoe

Police Volunteer

2120 North Central Avenue, Arizona

6022626151

Local

Law Enforcement

2011-01546509

Aug 30, 2011

Phoenix Police Department

Brown

Unknown

Unknown

Oct 9, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP11819) and 6 other sources
In the early summer of 1944, a 31-year-old woman named Bertha Beatrice Smith vanished after sending a letter to her family from Phoenix, Arizona. Born Bertha Beatrice McGary in Texas in 1913, she had married in 1931, becoming Bertha Beatrice Dyer and giving birth to five children. Her life took a significant turn in 1942 when she and her husband divorced, and she reportedly relocated to Arizona. It is believed that after moving, she may have remarried a man with the last name Smith, though details about this possible marriage are scarce. The last communication her family ever received was a letter she wrote in June of 1944, stating her intention to return to Texas. However, she never arrived, and from that moment on, no one in her family saw or heard from her again.

The circumstances surrounding Bertha's disappearance are shrouded in uncertainty. Following her divorce, custody of her five children was granted to her ex-husband. When he enlisted in the army, the children were reportedly placed in orphanages. Her move to Arizona and possible remarriage marked a new chapter in her life, but one that has remained largely unknown. The letter she sent in 1944 is the final piece of a puzzle that has remained unsolved for decades. There is no information available regarding her method of travel back to Texas or any other details that might have been included in her last correspondence. The Phoenix Police Department is the investigating agency on her case, but the passage of time has made finding answers incredibly challenging.

Decades have passed since Bertha Smith's family received her final letter, and her case has grown cold. The lack of concrete details about her life in Phoenix and her intended journey back to Texas has left investigators with very few leads to follow. The identity of the man she may have married remains a mystery, and it is unknown if she had established a new life with new friends or acquaintances in Arizona. The story of Bertha's disappearance is one of abrupt silence and lingering questions. A young mother who had recently undergone significant life changes, she seemingly vanished without a trace, leaving behind a family to wonder what became of her after she penned her last known words. The overview of her case is one of a woman lost to time, with her family's hope of knowing her fate fading with each passing year.
Last Seen: Jun 1, 1944

Links to Additional Sources (6)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Bertha Beatrice Smith - The Charley Project
  • Bertha Smith | Whereabouts Still Unknown - WordPress.com
  • Bertha Smith | International Missing Persons Wiki - Fandom
  • Missing Person / NamUs
  • 4284DFAZ - Bertha Beatrice Smith - Doe Network
  • Bertha Smith — Missing since June 1, 1944 | Find All of Us

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (3)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    80%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Tolleson, Arizona - unidentified case UP2069
    Jane Doe — Tolleson, Arizona
    UP2069 • Found May 17, 1988
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 31 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 100%11 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 44 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'3" vs 5'0"–5'5"
    Weight 91%159 lb vs 120–140 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    78%Possible
    Jane Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP1939
    Jane Doe — Arizona
    UP1939 • Found Jun 24, 1996
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 31 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 96%23 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 52 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'0"–5'5"
    Weight 100%148 lb vs 120–140 lb
    Hair 70%Gray vs Brown
    77%Possible
    Jane Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP1985
    Jane Doe — Arizona
    UP1985 • Found Feb 24, 2002
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 35–45 vs 31 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 96%23 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 58 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'0" vs 5'0"–5'5"
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

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    Forum Posts (2)

    Does anyone have more information about the husband she supposedly remarried in Arizona after her... ...Read More
    06/26/2024
    Has anyone been able to find out more about Smith's life after she moved to Arizona? It's such a... ...Read More
    03/02/2024

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