Ruth Hadwin Bernard

Ruth Hadwin Bernard passed away on Sunday, March 16, 2014 at the Langdale Hospice House in Valdosta, Georgia. Born in Bamberg, S.C, she was the daughter of the late Thomas Jefferson Hadwin and Luella Williams Hadwin. Her father was the sheriff of Bamberg County for twenty-four years, and she had memorable stories to tell of her childhood while living on the first floor of the jail.
She and her identical twin sister Eloise lost their mother before the age of two and were raised by their father and paternal grandmother, Amanda McMillan Hadwin until her father married Leila Bessinger three years later. She and her three sisters and her brother grew up in the small town of Bamberg, South Carolina. Ruth's claim to fame during her childhood was that she and her sister Eloise had their picture in the local paper every year on their birthday with the caption, "Sheriff Hadwin's Twin Daughters."!
After graduating Bamberg High School, Ruth moved to Brunswick, Georgia where she was employed by Brunswick Pulp and Paper Company. She met and married Rene Bernard and moved to Valdosta in 1949.
Ruth was employed by Dr. David Branch, South Georgia Medical Center, Nichols Homes, and Valdosta State College. After retiring from VSC, she worked as a sorority house mother at Alpha Gamma Delta and Delta Zeta at Florida State University and at Alpha Delta Pi at Georgia Southern College. Ruth was a member of First Baptist Church and the New Life Singles 4 Sunday School Class. She also volunteered as a Pink Lady at South Georgia Medical Center.
However, Ruth's greatest vocation was as a mother to her five children and later as a mother-in-law and then grandmother to her twelve grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. She taught by example to be humble, generous, forgiving, and optimistic. She prayed every day and always looked for the best in others. She focused on the important things in life – faith, family, and friends.
She will long be remembered as a great cook (you may have been lucky enough to have had one of her pound cakes), a great dancer, and steadfast friend. She loved an adventure, a party, a good laugh, the beach, and little children.
She leaves to carry on her legacy four daughters, Debbie Corbett of Lake Park, GA (Jerry); Anne Dodson of Panama City Beach, FL (Duane); Judi King of Shell Point, FL; Peggy Faulk of Kennesaw, GA (Jim) and one son, Louis Bernard, of Albany, GA (Karen), twelve grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews. Survivors also include her three brothers-in-law, Patrick Bernard of Odenton, MD (Ruthie), Emile Bernard of Beaufort, SC (Betty), and Gregory Bernard of Augusta, GA (Carol). Along with her parents, she was predeceased by her step mother, Leila Bessinger Hadwin, three sisters, her twin Eloise Bluestein, Christine Harrington and Nelle Morris, one brother, Cecil Hadwin and the father of her children, René Bernard.
The family will be forever grateful to her angel caregivers: Joy, Fran, Julie, Joyce and the staff of Hospice of South Georgia and Langdale Hospice House. The memories she has imprinted on all our lives will live on forever. She never, ever told her age, and when asked, would quote Mae West who is famous for having said, "A woman who tells her age will tell anything!"
The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 at the First Baptist Church in Valdosta with Rev. Mac Weaver officiating. Interment will take place at McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 18, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Carson McLane Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011, First Baptist Church of Valdosta (Building Fund), 200 W. Central Ave., Valdosta, GA 31602, Hospice of South Georgia or Langdale Hospice House, both located at 2263 Pineview Drive, Valdosta, GA 31602. Condolences may be made at www.mclanecares.com.

Carson McLane Funeral Home.


Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602