Mrs. Bertha Laverne Coffin-Shaw passed peacefully on Sunday, September 4, 2022 in Darlington, South Carolina. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at Cherry Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 522 E. Billy Farrow Highway, Darlington SC. Graveside services will be held on Monday, September 11, 2022 at 2:00 at Greenview Cemetery, Montgomery Street, Reidsville, NC with public visitation to be held on Sunday, September 10, 2022 from 2:00 until 7:00 p.m. at McLaurin Memorial Chapel, 721 E. Morehead Street, Reidsville, NC.
Bertha LaVerne Coffin-Shaw, affectionately known as “Bert”, was born on January 25, 1950 to the late Alphes A. Coffin and Helen Mills Coffin. Bertha attended Booker T. Washington High School in Reidsville, NC and graduated in 1968. She furthered her education by attending Rockingham Community College where she received her Associate Degree in Nursing.
She went on to work with Annie Penn Hospital as an LPN, Dudley Beauty Corporation as a Sales Representative, Miller Brewery in Eden, NC and Darlington County Schools as a Teacher’s Assistant and Food Service Employee.
Spiritually, Bertha came to know Jesus Christ at an early age. She was a member of Zion Baptist Church of Reidsville, NC until her relocation to Darlington, SC where she joined Cherry Grove Missionary Baptist Church. She loved her church and church family. As a member of Cherry Grove MBC, she served faithfully as a deaconess and greeter until her health declined.
In 1988, Bertha met Willie Matthew Shaw, III in Eden, NC at an NAACP Banquet, and they immediately hit it off. After months of travels between NC and SC, “Bert” and “Butchie” were joined in a sacred union of marriage on June 15, 1991. Their union was met with many travels across the country. As a union they had a special love and concern for children and made it a point to ensure that they poured into the children that were around them so much so that it became the norm to hear others call them “Uncle Butchie” and “Aunt Bert”.
Bertha’s bigger than life personality and infectious smile enabled her to “NEVER” meet a stranger and walk away as a friend. Her vibrant personality was often reflective in her love for fashion. She loved to be around friends and family cutting up, talking about old times, collecting antiques, cooking and attending to the needs of those that were in need. If you knew “Bert”, you knew that she would give you the shirt off her back. As her health declined, you often heard “Aunt Bert” talk about her love for her babies, Lisa, Daryl, Minda, Sonja, Nikki, Cortnie, Brooke, Daria, Damia and Asher. She was sure to let you know, “I pray for my babies” EVERY DAY”.
In addition to her parents, Bertha is preceded in death by her husband Willie Matthew Shaw, III; her brother Ashley Coffin; and her cousin, Janice Bumpas.
As her presence was felt, so will it be greatly missed by: her loving caretaker and adopted daughter, Telicia H. Jones of Hillsborough, NC; special cousin, Dorothy Harris (John) of Reidsville, NC, special nephew, Daryl Harris (Minda) of Mebane, NC; nieces, Sonja Coffin of Greensboro, NC, Nikee Coffin Timmons (Eugene) of Reidsville, NC, Kymbrelli Coker (Anthony) of Charlotte, NC, Jocqlene Burgess (William) of Elkton, MD, Joy Champion (Gene) of Fredericksburg, VA and EllAnne Gilbert of Columbia, SC; nephews, Bryan Franklin and Frank Gilbert, III both of Columbia, SC; great-nephew, Asher Timmons of Reidsville, NC; sisters in-law, Joyce Franklin of Darlington, SC, Marlena Shaw-Wright of Darlington, SC and Hilton Shaw-Gilbert (Frank) of Columbia, SC; special friends, Tilda Watkins-Morehead and Gerdia Keesee both of Reidsville, NC, Lamias Muldrow of Darlington, SC and Brigina Woolridge (Arthur) of Florence, SC; special caretakers, Imagene Lewis and Jessie McIver both of Florence, SC; very special neighbors, the Fox and Cotton Families; and a host of other relatives and dear friends.
Ashton and Yolanda McLaurin and the staff of McLaurin Funeral Home are serving the family. Covid-19 precautions will be followed with social distancing, masks and sanitizing required.
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