Berta Etheridge

Berta Wells Etheridge, a long-time resident of Meridian, Mississippi, died at her daughter's home in Gulfport on March 15th, 2017 at the age of 105.
Bert was born on February 23rd, 1912, to William and Launa Wells in Waynesboro, MS. After graduating from high school, she attended the University of Southern Mississippi and became a teacher at Central High School in Jackson. In 1939, she met and married Thomas Marion "Red" Etheridge.
For over 30 years, Bert was a business and education teacher in Meridian at Kate Griffin Junior High and Meridian High School and retired in 1977. She spent many memorable summers working at Camp Chattooga in Tallulah Falls, Georgia and formed many lifelong friendships.
She and her husband enjoyed spending time at their fishing camp in Demopolis, AL, fishing and being outdoors with dear friends. Throughout her life, Bert had a love for flowers, baking, and sports. Even at 100, she could often be found in the back yard watering her flowers and watching the birds. She was known for her pecan pies and fruit cake cookies which she distributed at Christmas time. Some favorite past-times for Gammie were watching the Celtics play in their glory days led by Larry Byrd and cheering on the Ole Miss Rebel Football team. As a hobby, Berta also loved to do needlepoint and crocheting and made pairs of "booties" to warm the feet of many elderly in nursing homes.
Gammie, as she is affectionately called by her family, was an active member of 15th Avenue Baptist Church in Meridian where she served as a librarian and participated in the Beacon Sunday School class for over fifty years. After moving to Gulfport in 1998, she joined Trinity United Methodist Church.
Bert was preceded in death by her husband of 21 years, Thomas Marion Etheridge, her brothers, J.W. Wells, Ralph Wells, Thurman Wells, Hubert Wells, and her sisters Azoline Large,Lorene Shoemake, and Thelma Kitchens.
She is survived by her daughter, Judy Riley and her husband Jerry of Gulfport. She was a loving grandmother to Tatum Cochran and husband Chad of Spanish Fort, AL and Brooke Riley of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, and adored her two great grandchildren, Emery and Houston Cochran. Surviving siblings are Dudley Wells of Waynesboro and Lanelle Wells Lindsey of Memphis, TN. Bert is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and friends. The family would like to give special thanks to her loving caregivers Sandra Fairley and Iva Cullifer as well as Kare-in-Home Hospice and their wonderful staff.
Visitation will be held at the Robert Barham Family Funeral Home in Meridian,MS at 10:00 am with a funeral service to follow at 11:00 am. A private burial ceremony will take place at the family cemetery in Waynesboro, MS.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials given in Bert's honor be made to Friends of the Redeemer United, 6001 Vista Circle, Gulfport, MS, 39507.
The RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, Gulfport, served the family locally and an online guestbook may be signed at www.riemannfamily.com