Anna Bernice Thomas Falkenberry died at age 81 after a long, debilitating and preventable illness.
She was born, grew up and married in Chattanooga and died in neighboring Red Bank, TN, but she traveled the world between leaving Chattanooga and her return to Red Bank. Highlights of her travels were residing in Pakistan and in England, where her youngest child was born, and visiting the former Soviet Union. But to her, nothing could compare with the happy 40 years she spent in her own Red Bank neighborhood among friends and neighbors.
Bernice was a graduate of Chattanooga Central High School, and attended the University of Chattanooga and Florida State University. She taught school in Altha, FL, and was active in PTA and the League of Women Voters.
She and Harold enjoyed canoeing, and through their memberships in both Tennessee Valley Canoe Club and Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association, they canoed rivers from Tennessee to Florida to Arkansas to Michigan.
She was an avid gardener, and loved growing flowers; one of her worst frustrations in her years of declining health was not being able to take care of them.
She was a member of Snyder Sunday School Class at Red Bank Baptist Church. Bernice will be remembered as a selfless, concerned, caring person by her family, friends and acquaintances.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William Nelson and Essie Mae Thomas, brothers, Milton, Paul, Howard and Eugene, sisters, Essie Mae Close and Elizabeth Penton and by her daughter, Esther Marie Falkenberry.
She is survived by her loving husband, Harold L. Falkenberry; sons, Thomas L. (Louise) of Cartersville, GA and Roger (Jayne) Falkenberry of Fairfax, VA, and Maynardville, TN; daughter, Carol F. (Thomas) Hackney; granddaughter, Carrie Griffith, Chattanooga; grandson, Michael (Lucinda) Falkenberry; great-granddaughters, Eilleen and Anna Marie Falkenberry, and great-grandson, Sheridan Falkenberry, all of Powder Springs, GA, and Zachary L. Falkenberry, Snellville, GA; brother, Harry E. Thomas of Oak Ridge TN; sister-in-law, Dovelyn Thomas of Jupiter, FL, as well as nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be announced later by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home. Burial will be in Chattanooga Memorial Park Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 4–8 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Chattanooga Times-Free Press Neediest Cases Fund, the Salvation Army and Hosanna House would be appreciated.
Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist.
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