BERTHINA CHANDLER DAVIS
Berthina Chandler Davis, affectionately known as "Bert," the fourth of 12 children, was born in Sumter to the late Paul Chandler and Bertha Herrington Chandler.
She received her early education from Sumter public schools and her high school education from Lincoln High School. She attended Sumter Area Technical College where she received her dietary certification. She retired as a licensed dietician from Hampton Nursing Center in Sumter.
Berthina was raised in a loving, religious, nurtured home in a hard-working family. She accepted Christ in her youth and was a lifelong member of Bethel AME Church. She was a member of the Janie Williams Women's Missionary Society, where she served faithfully until her health declined. She was especially passionate about her missionary work, which extended beyond the walls of the church. She visited the sick, fed the hungry, instructed the youth, consoled the comfortless, encouraged the depressed and prayed for all. Berthina believed in taking care of family and her motto was "only the strong survive." She enjoyed cooking and always looked forward to making her annual Christmas miniature fruit cakes, her signature sweet potato pies and pound cakes for her children and grandchildren. She traveled the world and enjoyed singing and dancing to her favorite tunes.
Berthina was first united in holy matrimony to the late John Leroy Aiken Sr. This union was blessed with six children, Johnetta, John, Cassandra, Tracy, Serrell and Berthella.
She later met and married the late Cornelius Davis Jr. They were married for 40 years before he passed away.
Berthina was also preceded in death by four brothers, Charles Chandler, Paul Chandler Jr., Harold Chandler and James Chandler; three sisters, Janie Brown, Hattie Lane and Ruby Pearson; and one daughter, Cassandra Aiken Springer.
Berthina leaves to cherish her precious memories: four beautiful daughters, Johnetta Kelly (Wesley) of Clarkston, Georgia, Tracy Lynn Adams (David) of Sumter, Serrell Lomba (Gary) of Tyrone, Georgia, and Berthella Aiken of Conyers, Georgia; one son, John Leroy Aiken Jr. of Atlanta; four sisters, Betty Colclough (Joseph) and family of Sumter, Emma "Alice" Nixon and family of Sumter, Mary Hadley and family of Seat Pleasant, Maryland, and Barbara Allen (Zeb) and family of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; eight grandchildren, Tracy Hutchison of Conyers Melody Gettis of Clarkston, Angelique Carson of Atlanta, Angelica Springer of Houston, Texas, Brittany Springer of Houston, Darrell Springer Jr. of Atlanta, Noa Lomba of Tyrone, Georgia, and Emory Lomba of Tyrone, Georgia; the family of James and Rachel Chandler; the family of Ruby Lane Glisson and Mario Glisson; and a host of nieces, nephews, other loving family members and devoted friends.
Funeral services for immediate family members and her siblings only will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at Bullock Funeral Home Chapel, 1190 Wilson Hall Road, Sumter, SC 29150. The Rev. Larry Clark, of Bethel AME Church, will officiate.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday at Bullock Funeral Home, 1190 Wilson Hall Road, Sumter, SC 29150.
Burial will be held at Evergreen Memorial Park, 802 N. Guignard Drive, Sumter, SC 29150.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, the family requests that face masks and social distancing be observed by relatives during the funeral service and at the cemetery.
Condolences and flowers may be sent to Bullock Funeral Home and Crematorium, 1190 Wilson Hall Road, Sumter, SC 29150.
You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family's guest book.
The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter for the arrangements.