BERTHA MAE RYANT was born on April 16, 1946 to Ellen Thomas of Bamberg,
SC. She was the oldest of ten children born to her mother. On January 30, 2023, Bertha
Mae passed away of natural causes.
Bertha loved being the neighborhood mother. She would take anyone in need under her wing.
She loved to sing and bake. She was a faithful member of Central Baptist Church for many years. Upon
moving to Orangeburg, she joined Gospel Temple of Deliverance with Apostle James Fogle.
Bertha was preceded in death by her mother, Ellen Thomas, her husband, John Ryant, a daughter, Phyllis
Brooks; her sisters, Shirley Freeman, Annette Adams and Emmas Adams, a brother, Marvin Singleton, and
a grandson, Jamel Walker.
She leaves to cherish fond memories: her children, Cornelia Sanders of Columbia, SC, Lanore (Ray)
Franklin of Walterboro, SC, Shirley (Craig) Conner, Joyce Fogle, Denise Pough, Marilyn (Eric) Polite and
Laticia Polite, all of Orangeburg, SC; her sisters, Maxine Adams of New Ellenton, SC, Pam Adams of Columbia, SC, Pat Adams of Columbia, SC, and Ellen Davis of Denmark, SC; a brother, Leroy Adams; twenty-three grandchildren; thirty-three great-grandchildren; a special caregiver, Leah Spigner and an extended family who will miss her dearly.