Bertha Livingstone
November 24, 2020
Durham, North Carolina - Bertha Ross Livingstone of Durham, aged 92, passed away November 24, 2020 at Carolina Reserve of Durham after a long life of service.
Bert was born on a farm in rural South Carolina and lost both parents as a child. She was a strong student, a natural athlete, and achieved a graduate degree in Zoology at Yale University. After marriage, Bert moved with her husband and children to England, Canada, Uganda and back to the USA. As a parent she found time for trips to the library and reading aloud to her children. Later, Bert completed a Library Science degree and became the Biology-Forestry Head Librarian at Duke University.
Bert lived a life based upon her values: honesty, service to others, protection of the environment, and equality of all people. She was an avid gardener, for the beauty of plants and growing food to share. Bert volunteered throughout her life including tutoring children in segregated Durham City Schools, supporting the Civil Rights Movement, caring for daylilies (and a clutch of found turtle eggs) at Duke Gardens, teaching reading (and creating custom books for students) at Head Start, and developing gardens (and butterfly educational photos) for the Butterfly House at the Museum of Life and Science.
Bert is survived by four daughters, Laura Livingstone (Anthony Benson), Mary Farrell (David Farrell), Christina Livingstone (Mike Van Oort), Elizabeth Livingstone (Joseph Halby); and grandsons, Samuel Van Oort, John Lucas Van Oort, Ian Farrell and Erik Farrell. She was predeceased by her son John Malcolm Livingstone, brother Philip B Ross Sr., sister Ann Ross Isley and former spouse Daniel Livingstone.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her name to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Herald Sun on Dec. 6, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
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2 Entries

Nancy Pyle

November 30, 2022

As I get older, what I cherish most in life are the people. Bert was one of the special ones. As I reread her obituary, I'm struck by how many good things she did, some of which I never knew about. I'm not sure how much she influenced my love of gardening, as it came later in my life. But I think of her often when I notice the beauty of nature. As with so much of my life, I feel very lucky to have known Bert. She will not be forgotten! A visitor to my home recently commented on a piece of Mary's pottery, and I told her about my trips to Seagrove with Bert.
Nancy Pyle

Nancy Pyle

January 7, 2021

Bert was my boss at the Biology Forestry Library in the 1970's when my husband was in graduate school at Duke, but she quickly became my friend. She was also the best boss I ever had. We have kept in touch all these years. The last time I visited was sometime around 2010, I think, after she had moved to the little house that Mary and David built for her. My daughter and I spent several days with her at Easter in 1996 in Durham. I remember having chocolate-mint ice cream with her! She was a lovely person who cared for others above herself. She will be missed.

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