Helen Bernice Southern

Helen Bernice Southern, 89 of Monette, passed from this life Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born and raised in Etowah, she was the daughter of the late Fred and Daisy Mansker Knuckles and had lived most of her life in the Manila and Buckeye area. She had worked as a nurses aide and nanny and enjoyed cooking, writing poetry, and painting. Bernice was an ordained minister and was of the Church of God faith.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Jack Southern; two sons, Danny May and James “Butch” Southern; one granddaughter, Laura Chambers; two great-grandchildren, Breonna Shirley and Charlie May; one great-great-grandson, Zane May; four brothers and two sisters.

Survivors include three sons, Bobby May (Anna) of Park Hills, Mo., Gordon May (Kathy) of Etowah and Steven May (Sonya) of Buckeye; one sister, Frances Dudly of Memphis, Tenn. She also leaves 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 19 great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral service was 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, in the Howard Funeral Service Chapel in Manila with Rev. David Fair officiating. Burial followed in Manila Cemetery. Great-grandsons served as pallbearers. The family received visitors Saturday from 12:30 p.m. until service time.

Guest register: www.Howard FuneralService.com