Bertha is survived by her beloved younger sister, Barbara (Black) Allen, (the late Charles Black, Lewis Hayden) of Monticello, and her treasured brother-in-law James Hurt of Atlanta, GA. She was preceded in death by her siblings and their spouses, Edna Tucker (Jake), Earl Higginbotham (Oval), Raymond Higginbotham (Tina), Beatrice Higginbotham, Jessie Williams (Ledford), Dorothy Burton (Osborne), James Higginbotham (Nancy), Joe Higginbotham (Joanne), Katherine Kelley (Kay), Jack Higginbotham (Carol Sue), and Frankie Higginbotham.
Bertha was well cared for by her family, friends, and caregivers at NHC Nursing home for the past 5 years, living with Alzheimer’s Disease. All of the NHC staff, from the caretakers to the cooks to the administrators to her doctors, made her last years on this earth a place of home and comfort. As she cared for Bertha, Shelter Franklin became an “adopted sibling” to Bertha’s children, and she took delight in keeping her spirited and cared for in the most loving ways. Shelter’s shining smile, big laughter, and kind heart always lifted Bertha’s spirit. Marie Poland, her NHC roommate of 5 years, also loved and cared for Bertha with a cherished friendship.
Bertha was baptized at an early age, and upon her death, she was the eldest member of Steubenville Baptist Church and current Sunday School Secretary, a role she had for over 35 years. Bertha served her church in fellowship, attending Sunday School, helping with Vacation Bible School, and cooking her best dishes and garden treasures to share at potlucks with her brothers and sisters in Christ.
Her love for cooking began at a young age when she helped her family with making meals for those working at the family farm, making “Sunday dinners” for her family and friends, and finally putting her skills to use in her job at Wayne County Board of Education, where she served as a cook for Walker Elementary No. 1 for over 34 years. Coming in early each day, she labored making homemade meals that filled the bellies and the hearts of each child that came through the lunch line. In the afternoons, she came home from work to care for her family and work on the farm. From setting tobacco to milking cows to tending a garden, Bertha lived a life of service to God’s land, her family and friends, her church, her students and co-workers, and her Lord and Savior.
Services will be held at Steubenville Baptist Church under the direction of Hickey Funeral Home with Brother Seth Denney and Brother Robert Spradlin presiding. Brother Spradlin is Bertha’s other “adopted son,” neighbor who could smell a pie cooking from the Hurt home from miles away, and family minister. Public visitation begins at 11:00 am with the funeral following at 2:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Steubenville Baptist Church AWANA group to help continue Bertha’s legacy of helping with her church and feeding children. Donations can also be mailed to 222 The King’s Highway, Monticello, KY 42633.
