Bertha Lee Williams, age 90, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 4 at Bon Secure Maryview Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. She was born March 14, 1928, in Orangeburg South Carolina to the late Willie Fred Rigby and Carrie Phillips Rigby.

At an early age, Bertha joined the family church, St Mark United Methodist Church, Saint George, South Carolina and continued to grow spiritually at Salem United Methodist Church in Central Harlem, New York where she served faithfully in the United Methodist Women auxiliary, volunteered with the Hunger Relief Outreach Program and shepherded the indoor garden at the church. Most importantly, she was a Godly woman as evidence of her intimate familiarity with God's Word.

Bertha attended Rosenwald schools and later graduated from a state-approved training program to become a hairdresser/hair stylist. Her customers at Flo's Beauty Salon describe her as having an engaging personality, where they felt comfortable, and shared that she was easy to talk to. She kept abreast of changing techniques in the industry and easily incorporated those changes into her work, and it is for these reasons that she maintained a steady clientele through December 2018.

Bertha was a loving woman who never took life for granted. She enjoyed each day as if it were her last. Spending time with her family, primarily during Camp Meeting was something that she looked forward to each year; she had an eye for shopping, and her passion entailed making others look beautiful when they sat in her chair at the salon and gardening.

When she talked about her work, Bertha had an interest in creating, helping and persuading. The creating interest manifested as a focus on being imaginative; the helping interest indicated an emphasis on assisting, serving, counseling and teaching and as the influencer, she motivated many who crossed her path.

Bertha was joined in Holy Matrimony to the late John Williams.

She leaves to cherish her memory two stepchildren, John L Williams (Marjorie) of Bronx, New York, and Stella Williams, three step-grandchildren of Parkchester, NY and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and three great grand step-grandchildren; a sister, Eliza Rigby Dwight of Portsmouth, VA; one brother, Troy Ray Rigby of Bronx, New York; sister-in-law, Alin Rigby of St. George, South Carolina; a special cousin, Corine Evans Spells of Grandview, Missouri and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.