Bessie Berry, affectionately known as “Miss Bessie,” is an amazing lady! At age 12 she raised her six siblings after the death of her mother. She tells the story of her teacher hitting her hands with a ruler for being late to school. She had to feed her siblings and she wouldn’t think of leaving the house a mess, but it always put her behind. The principal found out her plight and stopped the punishment. At an early age she was respected in her community for the love and hard work that she unselfishly gave to others.

Miss Bessie was a wonderful wife to her husband, Robert. She nursed him through a long illness until his death. She counts her three children, Robert, David and Susan, and her grandchildren as blessings in her life.

She worked in local school libraries and served up food behind the lunch counter at the Plaza Pharmacy. She worked at Cheatham Annex until the birth of her first child. Early on she taught herself to sew and that skill provided clothes and domestic needs...