BERTIE BURKETT LOFTIN SHUSTER WAS BORN MARCH 16, 1918 TO JAMES ASGIL BURKETT AND AGNES FOX BURKETT IN CALLAWAY, FLORIDA. SHE WAS THE SEVENTH IN A FAMILY OF EIGHT CHILDREN. SHE IS PRE-DECEASED BY HER FIRST HUSBAND -O.K. LOFTIN AND HER LATE HUSBAND, AXEL SHUSTER; FOUR BROTHERS- LEE, SAM, WADE AND JAMES,; THREE SISTERS- IDA MAE CURTIS, NORA PRATT AND MARIAN LUCAS. BERTIE IS SURVIVED BY HER TWO SONS- JAMES “JIMMY” LOFTIN AND HIS WIFE FRANCES OF WEWAHITCHKA, FLORIDA AND CURTIS LOFTIN AND HIS WIFE MARY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. SHE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY FOUR GRANDCHILDREN, ELIZABETH LOFTIN COTNER AND HER HUSBAND MATT OF GREENVILLE, SC; MICHAEL LOFTIN AND HIS WIFE ELIZABETH OF JACKSONVILLE, FL; WENDY SUMMERS AND HER HUSBAND WES OF WEWAHITCHKA, FL; AND MISTY FIGLINSKI AND HER HUSBAND JASON OF SOUTHPORT, FL. IN ADDITION, BERTIE IS SURVIVED BY SIX GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, MATTHEW COTNER; MARY BRANCH COTNER; HARRIET LOFTIN; EMILY LOFTIN; ELI FIGLINSKI; AND EVAN SUMMERS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS NEICES, NEPHEWS AND COUSINS. BERTIE ATTENDED A ONE-ROOM SCHOOL IN CALLAWAY, FLORIDA THROUGH THE EIGHTH GRADE AND GRADUATED IN 1935 FROM BAY COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. BERTIE’S WORKING CAREER INCLUDED TEACHING SCHOOL BEFORE WORKING AND RETIRING FROM CIVIL SERVICE AT TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE. BERTIE WAS A MEMBER OF PARKWAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, A FORMER BAY MEDICAL CENTER VOLUNTEER AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE EFFORT TO RESTORE THE ONE ROOM, CALLAWAY SCHOOL THAT SHE ATTENDED AS A YOUNG GIRL. SHE ALSO HELPED ESTABLISH THE ETTIE FOX MEMORIAL MUSEUM, NAMED FOR HER GRANDMOTHER, “GRANDMA” HETTINA “ETTIE” FOX, WHOSE FAMILY TRAVELED FROM HOLLAND CITY, MICHIGAN TO HOMESTEAD IN CALLAWAY IN 1886. A PRIVATE BURIAL WILL BE AT EVERGREEN CEMETERY WITH A MEMORIAL SERVICE TO FOLLOW 11 AM SATURDAY AT PARKWAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. KENT-FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME IS ASSISTING THE FAMILY WITH ARRANGEMENTS. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, MEMORIAL DONATIONS MAY BE MADE IN BERTIE'S MEMORY TO PARKWAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 505 S TYNDALL PARKWAY, PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA 32404.
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