Bernice Latham
Mrs. Lila Bernice Childress Latham passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009,
at Pennybyrn at Maryfield Nursing Center.
Mrs. Latham was born Aug. 12, 1921, in Charlotte, to the late William S. and
Willie LeGrand Childress. Upon the deaths of her parents, she moved at age 13
with her brother, Jimmie, to Shelby to live with her maternal aunt, Lila LeGrand
Brooks and her husband, M.G. (Guy) Brooks Sr., and their children, M.G. and
Jacky. She attended nursing school in Charlotte, and met her husband, R.M.
Latham while working at J.C. Penney Company during a Christmas break. They were
married in 1941, and Bernice began working with Dr. D.F. Moore in his office
practice for the next 28 years until Dr. Moore retired. She then worked as the
school secretary at Dover Elementary School until her retirement in 1986.
After her husband's death in 2002, she moved to Greensboro to live with her
daughter, Vicki, for three years. As her health declined, she moved to Carriage
House Assisted Living in October 2009, then to Pennybyrn at Maryfield Nursing
Center in February 2009.
Bernice loved her family, friends and fishing. Her fondest memories were of
family get-togethers at "Aunt Lila's", fishing trips with the Lattimore family
from Lawndale and time with her husband and daughter.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her aunt
and uncle, Lila and Guy Brooks.
She is survived by her daughter, Vicki Latham of Greensboro; brother, William S.
(Jimmie) Childress of Shelby; nephew, Malcolm Childress and wife, Wanda, of
Rutherfordton; nephews, Bobby and Benny Logan of Kings Mountain; cousins, Jacky
Brooks Stone of Shelby and her children, Terri, Leeanne and Allyson; cousins,
Mark Brooks of Shelby and Guy Brooks of Raleigh; and special friends, Mackie and
Jim Lattimore of Lawndale, Sherrill Jenkins of Shelby and Helen and Ashley Snead
of Greensboro.
The family expresses grateful appreciation to the staff of Pennybyrn at
Maryfield and her church family at Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church for
their love, compassion and support.
Visitation: The family will receive friends Friday, Sept. 4, 6 to 7:30
p.m., at Cecil M. Burton Funeral Home and other times the family will be at 1614
S. Post Road, Shelby.
Funeral: Saturday, Sept. 5, 11 a.m., Sulphur Springs United Methodist
Church
Officiated by: The Rev. Priscilla Walker
Burial: Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church Cemetery
Memorials: Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1073, Shelby, NC
28151