Bertha Hall Rand

Bertha Hall Rand, of Drakes Branch, died on Friday, August 21, 2015. She was 80 years old.
Born in Charlotte County, VA on January 27, 1935, she was raised on the family farms in Wylliesburg and Drakes Branch. Married in 1960, she and her husband, Oliver, lived and worked in Lynchburg, VA for more than 40 years, until his death in 2001. Soon after, Bertha moved back to Drakes Branch to be closer to her siblings. Bertha was a wonderful wife and mother, blessed with infinite patience and kindness. She expressed these traits through her work as a nursing assistant at the Westminster Canterbury retirement community in Lynchburg, where she worked for almost 20 years. Her kind heart also led her to take in any stray dogs and cats that came her way, which led her to have many wonderful pets over the years. She was a tireless homemaker, cooking amazing meals for her family even after long days at work and a 26 mile commute home, or taking care of more than an acre of gardens. Her son will always remember her witty sense of humor and infectious laugh. Bertha also never failed to be a “mama bear” if the people she loved were in trouble or being harassed. Even over long distance, she expressed love for her grandchildren through a special diary that they sent back and forth over the years.
She is survived by her son, Gray, and three grandchildren, Jeffrey, David and Alexa, all of Renton, Washington; her siblings, Mary Sims and Frances Ward, both of Drakes Branch, VA, Margaret Martin and Elizebeth Gosik, both of Richmond, VA, and Doris Newman, of Farmville, VA. She was preceded in death by her husband, Oliver G. Rand, Jr., and her siblings Jeannie Jones, Garland Hall, and Clarence Hall, and her mother Mabel Hall and father Ira Hall.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, August 29th, 2015 at Browning Duffer Funeral Home in Keysville, Virginia, 110 H Street Keysville, VA 23947. Following the memorial there will be a graveside service for family at the Hall Family cemetery at 11165 Crafton’s Gate Highway, Drakes Branch, VA, 23937.
Friends are invited to share memories and sign the family’s on-line guest book at www.browningduffer.com.