Bertha Branch Turner

"Let her find her peace both here and thereafter, O Lord, in showing love to others for your sake..." Bertha Branch Turner, a native of Franklin, Virginia was the twelfth (12th) child of the late Goodman and Daisy Whitehead Branch. She was educated in the public schools of Franklin, Virginia and graduated from Hayden High School. Mrs. Turner accepted Christ at an early age. She was baptized and became a member of Piney Grove Baptist Church, Franklin, Virginia, under the leadership of Reverend G. W. Johnson. There she served faithfully until moving to Suffolk, Virginia where she became a member of Metropolitan Baptist Church. While there, she was a member of the church school, chapel choir, Missionary Council and several committees. In addition, she was an active member of the Zeta Epsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and held all offices, except that of Treasurer. She was a member of Suffolk, Retired Teachers Association and District T Teachers and held many offices. As a member of the Metropolitan Church Federal Credit Union, she served on several committees. Other affiliations include: Board of Directors of Suffolk Peanut Fest, member of American Heart Association, the Suffolk Fine Arts Commission, the Suffolk Chapter of American Red Cross, the School/ Community Substance Abuse Committee, the SEVAMP Volunteer, the National Association of University Women, the Suffolk Literacy Council, the Suffolk Library Board and Suffolk Administration Supervisor. At the age of 15, Mrs. Turner entered Virginia State College, Petersburg, Virginia(now Virginia State University). She was the recipient of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education with a major in Library Science and a minor in English and French. She also held a Master of Arts degree from Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia, where she majored in Secondary Administration. She did continuing studies at William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia, the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia and Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. During her 44 year career in education, Mrs. Turner worked as a Librarian, French and English teacher, a girl's basketball coach, cheerleader sponsor, and a secondary school administrator. Having lived a fruitful life, Bertha B. Turner, our grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend has shuffled off her mortal coil. While flights of angels sang to her eternal rest, death tore her asunder from family and friends that she cherished. She always enlighten your day. She loved people, both young and old. For more than four (4) decades, she devoted her life to making the world a better place in which to live, by working with the young. She was the first black person to teach English at Franklin High School in 1970. Her survivors include her granddaughters, Dr. Davida Harrell-Williams (Jeronn) of Suffolk, Virginia, Patrice Harrell-Carter (Corey) of Waldorf, Maryland, and six great grandchildren Amir, Taylor, Jeremiah, Haki, Garrett, and Brittany, a host of nieces, nephews and a plethora of friends. "She fought a good fight, finished the course; she has kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7)." There will be a small, private ceremony that will be livestreamed to the public from Metropolitan Baptist Church due to CDC guidelines and COVID restrictions. An "Ivy Beyond the Wall" ceremony will be conducted by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, on Friday, March 19th at 7:00 p.. All are invited for the viewing on Friday, March 19th in the Melvin J. Blowe Chapel of Crocker Funeral Home. 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 Bertha Branch Turner, please visit our flower store.