Berdia Lee Felder

Berdia Lee Turner-Felder was a daddy's girl. She was taught at an early age by her father, Cornelius Milton Turner, how to be a lady, how a lady should be treated, and to vigorously resist all attempts to be treated differently. Hence, she became a lady of impeccable charm, tenacity, grit, grace, and morals, befitting a Christ-like lifestyle, loving, caring, and sacrificial in its entity. She was publicly described by a select group of Twelfth Grade Students at Northeast High School, Macon Georgia as: "A perfect blend between the seemingly rambunctious, beautiful, dashing, provocative, trend setting, distinctive, confident, witty, and fearless musical artist, Tina Turner and the tranquil, pristine, benevolent, serene, selfless, God-fearing, Mother Teresa".

Berdia was born January 19, 1931, in St. Clair County, Alabama. She peacefully died February 2, 2026, Jacksonville, Florida. She is now reunited with her loving parents, Cornelius Milton Turner and Mary Virean Seay-Turner; siblings Annie Lois Robinson, Clevie Sparks, Milton Turner, Jr., Harriett Patricia Kesler; granddaughter Victoria Felder; brother-in-law Bobby Threatt; nephews Michael Robinson and Rory Turner; friends Fannie Moore, Ann Neal, and Teddy White.

Berdia graduated from St. Clair County Training School as Valedictorian, the class of 1948. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, Alabama State College, on August 14, 1959, concentration in English and American Literature; Master of Education Degree on August 7, 1970, Tuskegee Institute, Superlative Rank and concentration in Guidance and Counseling.

Berdia was a prolific reader. She read for information and pleasure, It seemed insatiable at times. In addition to reading novels, documentaries, articles germane to her profession, the Macon Telegraph, New York Times, and US Today newspapers were read daily. This reading habit began at an early age with the help of Jeanes Teachers. They were a group of volunteered itinerary African American Educators, who worked in southern rural Alabama. With limited private resources, they took books, pamphlets, current events leaflets to Berdia and her siblings to read, because the "separate but equal doctrine" was a contradiction and fraud.

Berdia's early formal and informal training prepared her for the day job that she passionately adored and loved, public school education. According to her, it was a great pleasure to teach kindergarten through twelfth grade in West Point Georgia, Titusville, Florida, and Macon, Georgia. The latter part of her career dealt with high school guidance and counseling. While functioning as guidance counselor at Northeast High School, she presented position papers at local and State conventions, forums, and symposiums. One of several unpublished position papers dealt with group guidance and career planning as required classroom activity. The counselor was free to interact with groups of students before they got into trouble.

It is now apparent that her early home experiences, informal and formal training had an indelible impact on the way she expressed her love and advocacy for students. She focused exclusively on helping students reach their God-given potential. There were times in which that advocacy required personal monetary expenditures. With parental permission, select students lived at her home on weekends. She showed no shame, regret or fault, but single mindedly advocated for each child under her care and tutelage, as if they were hers by biological birth. For example, while one of her kindergarten students was in serve pain, trying to defecate, Berdia confidently, calmy, with loving tender care, removed helminths or parasitic worms from the child's rectum. After thorough research, she scheduled and placed qualified Black students in college prep and advance classes for gifted and talented students. Some of those students were previously identified as special needs. As fate would have it, the academic performance of those students not only validated her confidence in them, but the quality of their schoolwork exceeded the expectations of Berdia's critics. As expected, the natural consequence for such advocacy incurred vengeful anger, discomfort, and punitive reaction by the unhinged with unlimited authority and power. At times, though painful and emotionally expensive, her professional competency was challenged and job security severely threatened. Nevertheless, those acts never took precedent over the welfare and wellbeing of her students. To the contrary, the abuses, disdain, vile treatment, scorn, and battle scars were taken as a badge of honor. A fitting testament to her personal makeup and early home upbringing, without the aid of legal support, she single-handedly and miraculously averted repeated attempts to terminate her employment. With the use of pertinent information and earlier developed relevant skills, she strategically used the very polices and regulations written and adopted by her adversaries to combat persistent attempts to end her employment. Her students and their parents, with full knowledge of her predicament, made public their support and appreciation. Because they had first-hand knowledge and overwhelmed proof that the love Berdia expressed for them was not superficial or transient. Her love and interest were sincere, genuine, and durable.

Berdia, this "daddy girl", was taught to have no tolerance for ethnic slurs and gender jokes designed to belittle, humiliate, and character assassinate. For the most part, this hostile and combative environment was the creation of a very small group of authoritative minded, influential, and highly conservative old white men. Even though they labeled her as troublemaker, she was respected by a substantial number of peers and super-ordinates as a dignified and transparent lady. When the environment became toxic and vulgar, she artfully and inconspicuously departed without being abrasive, loud, forceful or angry.

Berdia Lee Turner-Felder leaves to cherish and relish her memory, a loving and devoted husband, Walter W.; caring, adorable and self-sufficient sons, Ronald S. and William C.; charming, loving, enabling, precious daughters-in-law, Belinda and Erma; marvelous and self-actualized grandchildren, Cletese E. Dijuste, Courtney R., William C. Jr., Zion Nathenial Grant; remarkable, well accomplished, caring, and supportive siblings, Donna Posey (Thomas), Lorraine Allen (Tommy), and Peggy Threatt; countless number of distinguished, exceptionally trained and highly accomplished nieces, nephews, cousins, and their progeny; a brilliant, charismatic and loving god-son, Milton Fayson, his parents, Dr. Goerge and Gladys Fayson; colleagues, Soros, Greek Affiliates; Vanessa Denton; Dr. Hattie Lamar and relatives; Patricia White and relatives; Melvin Neal; Timothy and Colette Hawkins; Rev. James Goolsby and members; Rev. Clifford Wynn and members; Christine Raysor; Hobart and Georgia Harris; Nathenial and Sally Veal; Barden Senior Men Golf Association (wives); Christian Women United; Deloris Cook; Bert Bivins and family; Alveno Ross and family; Connie Mathis; Emma Moore and family; Dorothy Tuck and family.

Berdia was a proficient-effective member and/or elected officer of: (1) Iota Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; (2) Carats, Middle Georgia Branch; (3) Harriett Tubman Center, Board of Directors; (4) Douglas Theater, Board of Directors; (5) Historic/Heritage Committee Chair and catalyst that qualified First Baptist Church for permanent placement on the Macon- Bibb County Historic/Heritage List; (6) First African American President, Middle Georgia Branch, American Association of University Women; (7) Central Georgia Literary Club; (8) Middle Georgia NAACP; (9) Georgia Association of Educators; (10) American School Counselor Association; (11) Registered Democrat and Voter.

Seated upon her father's keens in St. Clair County Alabama, Berdia, at the early age of seven, turned her life over to Jesus Christ by joining the church. Her dad's family donated the land, served as Superintend of Sunday School and lead Deacon. As it was true with her father, Berdia's favorite hymn was "In the Garden" by Charles A Miles.

From the day of baptism, Berdia lived out in bold letters and bright colors, the Christian Creed. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!" For purpose of illustration, while residing in Atlanta Georgia, Berdia, for three consecutive days in one week, voluntarily cooked, cleaned the house, and washed clothes and linen for a family and member of the Berean Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The wife and mother, in reference, was stricken with advance stage of pancreatic cancer. At the time Berdia was not a member of the church, only her husband. She daily lived her faith in CHRIST. The often-quoted aphorism, "I would rather see a Godly Sermon than to hear one", is an emphatic and authentic summation of her Christianity.

As a dedicated and intuitive member of First Baptist Church, a typical and classic example of her faith in action, was one of several Senior Superlative Conferences, where she organized and conducted programs around themes such as "LOVE IN THE HOME" (Author Unknown):

"If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place, but have not love, I am a housekeeper – not a home maker. If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievement, but have not love, my children learn cleanliness – not Godliness. Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh. Love smiles at the tiny fingerprint on a newly cleaned window. Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk. Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys. Love is present through the trials. Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive. Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood. Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart. Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection. Now I glory in God's perfection of my child. As a mother, there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of all is love. A mother can touch a whole generation just by loving her child well".

The life of Berdia was abundantly rich, full, honest, and transparent. She diligently kept the faith in both words and deeds. Similarly, her life was replete with praises and thanksgiving to God for His infinite mercy, grace, and omnipotence. Which as perceived by human eyes, seems to qualify her for the First and all-important Resurrection. Where they that are dead in Christ shall rise first and are changed in a twinkling of an eye, from corruptible to incorruptible and from mortal to immortality. For they all shall live with the Lord throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. To those still alive, especially relatives and friends, her admonition is that you be not dismay and sorrow ridden, for we all have been blessed, honored, and privileged to have been an integral part of her life. Even to this day and especially at this moment in time, Berdia Lee Turner-Felder continues to enrich the life of many, far beyond human measure.

Sarah L. Carter's Funeral Home Northside is serving the Family.