Bertha Ellen Neal Knight's Obituary
GROOM SERVICES- 2:00 pm, Monday, May 15, 2006 in the First Baptist Church in Groom with Rev. David Kelly, Pastor, officiating. INTERMENT- Groom Cemetery Bertha Neal Knight went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, May 12, 2006 at the age of 97 years. Bertha Ellen was born with a crippled foot to Charlie Washington Neal and Daisy Bradley Neal in Rhea, Arkansas on January 30, 1909. The family moved by train, to Durant, Oklahoma when Bertha was 2 years old. She learned to read by holding the family Bible while her mother quoted the 91st Psalm. Her mother was a great prayer warrior for the family, and the first time young Bertha prayed outloud was for her mother’s healing. When her mother died, in spite of her prayer, Bertha was bitter. She wandered in darkness for years, with the devil as her guide. Bertha’s dad made her go to church, but he couldn’t make her listen. Bertha went to high school in Mead, Oklahoma, and in 1930 she moved to Groom, along with her daddy, her sister and brothers. At midnight one night, at the age of 23, Bertha had a vision. She saw Jesus standing at the top of the stairs, and she was at the bottom with fire burning her legs. It was at that moment that Bertha begged to be saved and was forgiven for all of those years of bitterness. Since the devil doesn’t give up without a fight, he told Bertha that she couldn’t be baptized because of her crippled leg, so she waited. Bertha Ellen Neal and Floyd Elwood Knight were united in marriage on April 26, 1934 at Sulpher, Oklahoma. After a wedding trip to Moline, Illinois, the couple made their home in Groom, and began to pray for children to complete their family. In the Groom First Baptist Church, on the morning of February 9, 1951, Bertha heard the Lord say to her that she could wear a shoe while she was being baptized. That night, as Bro. Bob Lloyd brought Bertha up out of the water with Jesus, it was the happiest moment of her life. Right away, Bertha was asked to teach the Junior girls in Sunday School, which she did for 20 years. Then, for the next 15 years, Bertha taught the Junior boys and girls in Training Union on Sunday nights. Bertha Knight became the Groom Branch Librarian in 1951 and retired on July 31, 1990 after 38 years and 61 days of service. She loved every minute of it and set a record having 107 children at story hour one hot summer day. They met in the clubhouse on the north end of Broadway, and they just about smothered because they were crammed in there like little chickens. Between the Junior classes at church and the Library, God had answered her prayer---all the children of Groom were hers to love. At the First Baptist Church, Bertha also enjoyed working with the Women’s Missionary Union, and served as President of the Night Circle. In later years, she was a member of the TEL Sunday School class and was active in the Senior Citizens organization. Preceded in Death by Bertha’s beloved husband, Floyd, on February 3, 1965, her parents, her brothers, A.D. and wife Ethel Whatley Neal, Leslie and wife Dora Brown Neal, William J. Neal, her sister Nellie Ford, 1 niece and 3 nephews. Survivors include Bertha’s sister-in-law, Floreta Neal of Kansas City, Missouri, several precious nieces and nephews, and many cherished friends. The body will be available for viewing on Sunday from 1 pm to 7 pm in Claude. The family requests memorials be to the Groom Branch Library or the First Baptist Church in Groom.
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