Bertha Lee Reels-Ricks was born on February 26, 1944 to Alvin and Lela Reels in Tuscumbia, AL. She was raised in a loving, Christian family of nine children, four sisters: Audrey Lee Custard of St Louis, MO; Alvie Lee Shaw (Edgar) of Tuscumbia, AL; Lela Robinson (Albert) of Brooklyn, NY and Samella Cobb of Cleveland, OH, and four brothers: Robert Lee Reels of Chicago, IL, Richard Reels of Sheffield, AL, Riley Reels and Alvin Reels, Jr., of Muscle Shoals, AL. She departed this earthly life peacefully on November 10, 2022 surrounded by her loving family.
She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior at an early age and was a proud and dedicated member at the First Missionary Baptist Church of Tuscumbia where she was recognized as a Matron of the Church.
She was loved and admired by everyone she encountered. She always greeted you with a sweet smile and delivered an encouraging word. She was generous, fun loving and always ready to offer good counsel and share her wisdom, maybe even including a recipe or two when she wasn’t preparing a scrumptious meal herself. No one was a stranger. She was blessed with caring hands and took great pleasure in caring for others in their time of need.
She was united into Holy Matrimony for over 36 years to the late Richard Ricks, the son of Lucious and Hattie Bell Ricks, to which thirteen children were loved and raised.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard I. Ricks, two sisters; Lela Robinson and Samella Cobb, four brothers; Robert L. Reels, Richard Reels, Riley Reels and Alvin Reels, Jr., and one daughter, Abigail Hooks.
She leaves to cherish her memories her loving children: Annette Scott (Joseph), Clarence Burgess, Sharon Burgess, and Chiquita Ricks; Vernita Standard, Richard Ricks, Jr (Teresa), Kenny Ricks, Wayne Ricks, Charlotte Liles, Janice McCray, Thade Weeden (Sharonda), thirty-six grandchildren; fifty great-grandchild children; eight great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, two very special and dear friends Steve and Nancy Lubich, other relatives and friends.
