Bertha M. (Cottingham) Smith

Bertha M. Smith, age 102, of Wilmington, DE, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 21, 2018, surrounded by her loving family.

She was born in Wilmington, daughter of the late Thomas Cottingham and Bertha (Cook) Abbott. She worked in sales at Wannamaker’s and most notably as a purchaser in the drapery department at Kennard’s.

Bertha was a very talented seamstress; sewing clothes, furniture slip-covers and custom draperies. She also crocheted and made custom lampshades. She took great pride in maintaining her home and was an exceptional cook. Bertha’s greatest joy in life was her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will be lovingly remembered as a strong, independent, caring and compassionate woman. She will be dearly missed.

Bertha is survived by her daughters, Grace Duffy and Deborah Long (Joe); 9 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; her daughter-in-law, Constance Pondok; and several nieces, nephews and members of her extended family.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Alexander Pondok; her second husband, Alfred Smith, Jr.; her son, Alexander Pondok, Jr.; her sisters, Eva Hemphill and Mildred Ingram; and two great-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 12:00pm on Friday, July 27, 2018 at the Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE 19808, where family and friends may visit beginning at 11:00am. Interment will be held in Cathedral Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bertha’s memory can be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 100 W. 10th Street, #1103, Wilmington, DE 19801, or to the American Heart Association, PO Box 15120, Chicago, IL 60693.

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