Bernice Roberts Townsel

We are gathered here today in the memory of our loved one, Bernice Roberts Townsel so that together we may acknowledgeand share our joy in the gift that her life was to us and the pain that her passing brings. In sharing, may we lessen the pain andremember more clearly the joy.Bernice Roberts was born December 23, 1919 in Mechanicsburg, Mississippi to the late Daniel Roberts and Willie TaylorRoberts. She was the third of seven children.Bernice accepted Christ as her Lord and savior at a very early age and was baptized at Perry’s Chapel C.M.E. Church on PerryCreek Road in Yazoo County, MS. During her faithfulness over the years, she served as an Usher, a Steward, KitchenCoordinator and a choir member. She loved to sing and enjoyed singing in the choir. Her favorite songs were “Anyway youBless me Lord” and “Something Inside of Me” and oh what a joy it was to hear her sing them! She was blessed in her eightiesto be a participate in the recording of the Mississippi Down Home Gospel CD featuring the S&B Singers. Her favorite sportsto watch were basketball and golf (Tiger Woods of course) but nothing could take the place of her favorite game show, “Wheelof Fortune”.Bernice married the late Hyman Richard Townsel and to that union six children were born.She was affectionately known in the community as “Mrs. Bern”. She acquired this name while driving the Yazoo CountySchool bus for many years. She enjoyed gardening, fishing and yes, hunting. Across the years many families have benefitedfrom her bounty. Prior to the 2011 flood that destroyed her home and forced her to move, she was often found in her gardenor up the road fishing. Cleaning her house was not a priority and she was quick to tell you, “they’re not coming to see myhouse, they’re coming to see me” …. And they still came. She had eyes like a hawk, radar ears and a heart of gold.She also enjoyed cooking, especially when her daughters were in the kitchen with her; according to Bern, no one could cooklike she could. Cooking homemade biscuits was her specialty and she enjoyed cooking them for her grand’s and great-grand’s.Fluffy or flat, round or not, with a little Blackburn syrup, they tasted the same. D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!!On April 17, 2018, God said: “Well done. You have finished your course; you can now enter into eternal rest”.Left to cherish her memories are her children; Patricia Townsel, Riverdale, GA, Peggie Smith, Jackson, MS, Charles (Carolyn)Townsel and Sadie Townsel, Yazoo City, MS., one granddaughter, Antinina Wilkerson (Major), Jonesboro, GA., who wasraised from infancy as her own, 9 additional grandchildren several who lived in the household at some point in their lives, 18great grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren, one sister-in-law Pecola Roberts, nieces, nephews and friends.Bernice can now enjoy the reward of joy unspeakable together with her husband; Hyman, her sons; Nathan and George, hergrandsons; Lance, William and Adrian, and her siblings; Catherine, Jerlene, Cleothis, Maggie, Edward and Myrtree.Thank you Lord for sharing with us such a sweet and beautiful spirit. We loved her and we know that she genuinely loved us. Inthis season of grief, our eyes will forever be fixed upon you