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Obituary for Bertha Sanderson Allen
Mrs. Bertha Sanderson Allen, 87, of Cumberland County, departed this life on Thursday, May 14, 2015. Born on September 15, 1928 to the late George and Edith Sanderson, she was a lifelong resident of Cumberland County. Mrs. Allen was preceded in death by her brother, Jesse Sanderson.
A most faithful wife of 61 years, she was the widow of William N. Allen. She is survived by her loving daughter, Mary Frances Hazlegrove, and devoted grandsons, Guy Varner Hazlegrove and his wife, Carolyn, and their daughter, Carly, and Robert Perkins Hazlegrove and his wife, Elizabeth, and their daughters, Lottie Mae and Lydia, all of Cumberland County, and son-in-law, Allen Perkins Hazlegrove of Yorktown. She was never happier than when she was with her grandsons and great-granddaughters. Close family members include her brother-in-law, Jack Allen of Cumberland, and sister-in-law, Nancy Allen Leslie of Richmond.
After graduating from Cumberland High School, she attended the State Teachers College at Farmville, now Longwood University. When the love of her life returned from Japan after World War II, she accepted Willie’s proposal, and they were married in December 1947. Reared on her father’s farm during the Great Depression, Bertha was accustomed to hard work and often helped her husband with the farm chores. Many a day they could be found checking on their beef cattle or baling hay on a summer’s night.
She was a lifelong member of Guinea Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School. She was employed as a school bus driver for many years, and she thoroughly enjoyed her interaction with the children. Later she worked as an assistant librarian for the Cumberland County Public Schools and served on the county’s Social Services Board. With her passing she is remembered in the Guinea neighborhood for her Christian virtues, as a caring neighbor, and her devotion to family.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Puckett Funeral Home. The Rev. Dale Brown will conduct a graveside service at the Allen family cemetery on Putney Road at 1100 a.m. on Monday, May 18. Remembrances may be made to Guinea Presbyterian Church Cemetery Fund or a charity of choice.
