Bernice Virginia Crocker

Bernice Virginia Crocker, fondly known to family and friends as “Niece” transitioned home to be with the Lord on Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14, 2020 at 10:25 pm surrounded by family and friends. Bernice Crocker, the daughter of the late Bennie Gray and Bertha Gray, was born on the fourth day of June in South Hampton, Virginia. The family eventually relocated from South Hampton County to Wakefield, Virginia. At an early age, she was baptized and became a member of the Union Hill United Church of Christ. As a native of Wakefield, Virginia, Bernice attended Wakefield Elementary School and Waverly High School. Wakefield Elementary School is where she met her future husband, William Crocker. Years later, in Waverly High School, William and Bernice fell deeply in love and have been inseparable ever since. After high school, she moved from Virginia and pursued a career with the New York Telephone Company. Inspired by her favorite teacher early in life, Ms. Williams from Waverly, Virginia, she knew that ultimately, she would return to school and seek a career in education. Henceforth, this experience her love for reading, writing, political debates, and academic discourse. This passion for learning and education was an integral part of her life. She realized that education was the key to success, and she later instilled these core values into her children, grandsons, family members, and students. After working at the telephone company, she attended Bronx Community College and graduated with an associate degree in Liberal Arts. She continued her education and received bachelor’s degrees from Herbert H. Lehman College in English and Special Education. After completing her undergraduate studies, she obtained her master’s degree in School Counseling. During her tenure in undergraduate and post graduate schools she remained on the Dean’s List, graduated Magna Cum Laude, and was a proud member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. In the early seventies, she began her career as an educator in the N.Y.C Department of Education at Alfred E. Smith High School, and then served as a Guidance Counselor at Taft High School and Bronx Leadership Academy until retirement. She was a member of Union Hill United of Christ in Sedley, Virginia, and also served as a watch care member of Community Protestant Church in Bronx, New York. Bernice loved serving the Lord, reading scriptures, and sending daily scriptures to her family and friends. She also enjoyed proof reading documents, baking Smithfield Virginia country hams, holiday cream cheese pound cake, and her “world famous” sweet potato pies. Additionally, she enjoyed listening to classic Rhythm and Blues and Gospel music, attending Broadway plays, and watching free Shakespearean plays and musical concerts in the park. In retirement, she became a weather forecaster and news reporter, keeping friends and family abreast of current events and daily weather reports. She leaves to cherish her memories: William H. Crocker (husband) and from this loving union, two daughters and a son; Arnette Felisha Crocker, William H. Crocker Jr. (deceased), and Coronnie Valencia Crocker of Bronx, New York; three grandsons, Tesean Maurice Fleming, Teon Drew Khalid-Crocker, and Temeer Anthony Khalid-Crocker; one sister, Iola Louise Powell (Lloyd) Bronx, New York; two brothers, Oscar Lydell Gray and Anthony Tyrone Gray; two sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Crocker and Sarah Gray of VA ; three brothers-in-laws, Harold Moore (Gloria), Alexander Crocker (Spencer) of VA, Charles Crocker (Willie Mae) of North Carolina and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. A celebration of life will be held 12:30 p.m. Saturday, February 29, 2020 at Union Hill Church United Church of Christ, Sedley, Virginia. She will be laid to rest in the church cemetery. Professional services with dignity have been entrusted to Crocker Funeral Home, Inc. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Bernice Virginia Crocker, please visit our flower store.