Bertha Mae Holmes

Bertha Mae Holmes passed way in Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, NY of natural causes on July 15, 2021. She resided at Pathways Nursing and Rehabilitation Nursing Home from 2014-2021. She was 85 years old. She is survived by her daughter, Gloria Jean Holmes (formerly Bacote) and her son Makin Ali, (formerly Leayle Bonelli Holmes), her adopted son, William David Holmes, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. The late Ron Swoboda passed away in his twenties. Bertha Mae Josey was born on September 11, 1935 in Bishopville, South Carolina. She was welcomed by her mother the late Ida Mae Josey (Moses) and the late Preston Josey Sr. She had two sisters, the late Mary Lee Tony (formerly Josey) who married the late Milton Tony, and the late Lula Belle Holmes (Josey) who married J.T. Holmes. Her brother, the late Preston Josey Jr. was formerly married to Virginia Scarbough.

Bertha Mae Holmes (Josey) married Elijah Lee Holmes and welcomed the late Rosa Lee Holmes in 1955 who passed away as a baby and in 1956 welcomed Gloria Jean Holmes. She separated from her spouse and later divorced her late husband, Elijah Lee Holmes. Later Bertha Holmes and Leayle Bonelli Sr. welcomed two sons, Leayle Bonelli Jr (now Makin Ali) and late Ron Swoboda. She adopted her foster child William David Holmes. Bertha went to Bishopville High School and worked at various occupants. She was a hard worker. She worked as a housekeeping for Hotels in New York City. She was a nurses’ aid at the Hospital for a short time and later became a counselor at Edenwald Community Center in the Bronx. When she retired she decided to move to Troy New York to be near her daughter. Bertha loved her family and was a devoted mother. She always put her children needs ahead of her own. She loved to sew, cook and care for the home. Late in life, Bertha started to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. She took in accurate knowledge about her creator Jehovah (Psalm 83:18) (John 17:3). She boldly told others about how wonderful our creator is and how he is going to do away with sickness, suffering and dying (Revelation 21:4). God promises and to restore this earth to a beautiful paradise. (2 Peter 3:13 and Psalms 37:10,11). She grew to love her Creator. She put her faith and hope in the promise of a resurrection. She knew that Jesus Christ would call her from the grave at the time of the resurrection and she will rise. A memorial talk for Bertha Mae Holmes is scheduled for Thursday at 7:00 PM on July 22 nd virtually via Zoom. You are welcomed to join the Zoom Memorial. Please contact her daughter via email: Holmesg911@gmail.com or call at 518- 496-1988 to get the Zoom link. Bertha Holmes will be going to her final resting place at Boone Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Bishopville, South Carolina and buried on Saturday, July 24, , 2021.