Bertha Jane Owen Dunavant

Bertha Jane Owen Dunavant, the gentlest, kindest, sweetest, and most thoughtful Southern lady ever, was an angel on this earth.   This elegant and classy lady transitioned to our Heavenly Father on April 15, 2021 after a tragic fall down a stairwell at Emerald Isle, N. C.  Bertha Jane devoted her life to her family, church and friends.  Her quiet and always considerate charm filled every room and everything was always about you and not about her. 

            She spoke a special language with her beautiful expressive hands and she used them with the skill of a maestro to paint imaginable pictures with depth, meaning and compassion.  Often, they were clasped prayer-like above her heart and she'd tilt her head in that direction to emphasize love, concern and affection.  This earth angel, never harbored a malicious thought or spoke ill of anyone--she flew well above such pettiness.  Violence and turmoil were not part of her world and she abhorred any form of discord, dissention or unpleasantness.  She embraced good and goodness in all its forms and offered the benefit of doubt to those who did not.  This angel trusted everyone and she miraculously lived 85 wonderful and unscathed years until that tragic fall on the day of her death.

            Her love for family, friends and all things good were gifts from heaven where she now resides with our Heavenly Father and all the saints.  She leaves the legacy of a large, loving and heartbroken family and a circle of friends who have been touched and nurtured by this most beautiful angel: loving husband, Samuel Jackson Dunavant, Jr. of Halifax; Sons, Samuel Jackson Dunavant lll of Halifax; Richard Easley Dunavant & wife Julie Dunavant of Halifax; Daughters, Sarah Glen Dunavant & friend Dan Elam of Halifax; Daughter Joy Abel & husband David Abel of Midlothian, along with adored grandchildren: Lelan & Michael Davidson of Nashville, TN; Richard Easley Dunavant, Jr., our angel; Matthew Epps and fiancée, Victoria Manning of Danville; Kyle Epps of Longwood; Samuel Jackson Dunavant IV of Halifax; Elle Abel of Midlothian; Lawson Abel of Midlothian; plus great grandchildren, Owen Davidson, Nashville & Bennett Davidson, Nashville, TN. 

            Bertha Jane was a proud member of Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority at JMU, Parsons Bruce Art Association and St. John's Episcopal Church, Halifax along with other worthy groups too numerous to mention.  A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. at the homeplace, Woodland, 471 Mountain Road in Halifax with Father Tim Jones officiating.  In lieu of flowers, which she so dearly loved, we ask that donations be made to the Emerald Isle EMS Department, 7500 Emerald Drive, Emerald Isle, N. C. 28594.  Those First Responders did a miraculous job of bringing her back to life so that doctors could assess her injuries which eventually proved so fatal.   Please also consider the Halifax County Cancer Association.

            Bertha Jane Owen Dunavant was and is everything that life and love are all about.  Rest in peace, my love.

Online condolences may be directed to Powellfuneralinc.com  

The family is being assisted by Powell Funeral Home, 1603 Wilborn Ave., South Boston, VA 24592.