Bertha Irene Shealy

Bertha Irene Shealy January 22, 1926 – March 10, 2021

Bertha Irene (Hawkins) Shealy was born on January 22, 1926, to the late Walter and Bertha Hawkins in Williamston, South Carolina. Bertha was educated in Williamston at Caroline School and she also attended a school in another town so that she could have twelve years of high school and that was because Carolina only went up to the 11th grade. During her high school years, she was a member of the girls’ varsity basketball team.

She was a member of New Prospect Baptist Church along with her brothers and sisters. During those days, in the Hawkins family, church came first before any other activities on Sunday. She was a member of the choir and participated in various activities at Prospect. Bertha left Williamston and moved to New York where she met and married the love of her life, Rev. David Shealy. Bertha Worked as a presser for many years in various cleaners in New York and New Haven until her retirement. She became an active member of Sweet Hope Church under the leadership of Bishop Lee Parker Sr., she joined Sweet Hope’s gospel choir. After leaving Sweet Hope, she Joined New Growth Outreach Ministries, under the leadership of Pastor Betty Marks. She also joined the Adult Choir and served on the Mother Board.

Bertha foster many children through the DCF program. After many of the children became adults, they still come to see her and all lovingly calling her Ma Bert. At the Shealy home the door was always open to anyone that needed a place to stay for a while, Ma Bert and Pop Pop would have a bed for them. She had a couple of people that would stop by for Sunday Dinner after church and would enjoyed themselves, in fact, if anyone stopped by, no one was ever turned away. During the summer she would have large cookouts and would feed the neighborhood children if the asked for food. People loved to come to the family home on Butler Street.

Bertha was a devoted mother and grandmother. She leaves to cherish her memory 4 daughters, Linda Richardson, Victoria Adams (Lonnie Adams), Trina Shealy and Lena Cummings (Clarence) Five sons. Daryl Shealy, Lonnie Shealy (Robin), Edward Shealy, Robert Strickland (Melissa) and Arthur Shealy, Leonard Nixon, and Andrea Rogers; one brother, Saleem Shabazz; 30 grandchildren and 19 great-grands, and a host of relatives and friends.

She was predeceased by her husband, Reverend David Shealy, her maternal and paternal parents; four brothers, Martin Hawkins, Walter Hawkins, Jr., John Thomas Hawkins, and Edward Hawkins; three sisters, Annie Grace Hawkins, Janie Blackstock and Margret Cox; one granddaughter, Kimberly Richardson and one grandson Sirvon Strickland.

Bertha was loved by many and will be greatly missed…

A Celebration of Bertha’s life will be held on Saturday March 20, 2021 at Beulah Heights First Pentecostal Church, 782 Orchard Street, New Haven, CT., 06511 at 10:30am. Viewing in Church from 9:30am-10:30am. Condolences may be expressed at www.colonialfunerals.com.