Cornelia Bernice (Tucker) Walker

On Monday, February 8, 2021 our beloved Cornelia Bernice Tucker Walker departed life at Bon Secours Memorial Regional Hospital, Mechanicsville, Virginia.  Loving memories of our sister, mom, grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend will always be in our thoughts and forever in our hearts.   

Bernice was born October 11, 1923 in Greensville County, Virginia to the late James Edward and Lelia Williams Tucker. Bernice received her education from Powell Elementary School in Greensville County at a time when her family made their living through farming. On the farm, Bernice was a very hard worker and she could often be found providing child care for her nieces and nephews when not attending work on her daddy’s farm.  Bernice gave her life to Christ at an early age and attended Antioch Baptist Church.  For Bernice, the church kept her grounded, flushed out the burden of life, provided a bedrock of faith and would give answers to her deepest needs.  Later in life after moving to Richmond, Virginia Bernice moved her membership to The Mount Carmel Baptist Church until her death on February 8, 2021.  

Bernice met and married Robert L. Hill in 1945 and out of that union, Julie Mae Hill Thomas was born on May 21, 1946.  This union suffered dissolution shortly thereafter and she stretched out her wings and moved to the Church Hill area of Richmond, Virginia and took up residence with her brother Lee Andrew and his wife. While living in Richmond, Bernice would welcome a new bundle of joy, Belma Lee Tucker into the world on April 27, 1963.  She also met and married the late Sam Walker. Bernice worked as a Nurse’s Aide for numerous years before retiring and settling in at Fairmount Retirement Home in Richmond, Virginia. She remained at Fairmount until her capacity to care for herself had severely diminished and it was then that she decided to move in with her son Belma until her untimely death.

Bernice was known far and wide for her craft making skills with embroidery and her sentimental and graphic way of writing and reciting jaw dropping and highly impactful spiritual poems that spoke to the core of your mind and soul.  Mother’s Day and Homecoming Services were more exciting and fulfilling at Antioch and The Mount Carmel because she would always grace the congregation with one of her unique poems on these dates.  Many would flock to Prayer and Praise service just to hear the special way she would recite her self-made poetry.  No one could recite a poem like Cornelia Bernice Tucker Walker (aka. Neese). 

In addition to her parents, and husbands, Bernice was preceded in death by brothers, Abraham, Lee, Frendoll and Woodrow; sisters, Mamie, Pearl, Annie and Dorothy; and, grand-daughter, Charlene. 

Bernice will be missed, treasured and celebrated continually in the memories of her daughter, Julie Mae Hill Thomas of Emporia, Virginia; son, Belma Lee Tucker (Jannette) of Mechanicsville, Virginia; grand-children, Warren Kelvin Thomas and Veronica Thomas Powell (Shawn) of Emporia, Virginia and Lawrence Randolph Thomas Jr. of Pleasant Hill, North Carolina; great-grandchildren, Yvonne Lee, Isaiah Spence, Courtney Thomas, Raven Thomas, Jordan Thomas, Harrison Carroll and Morgan Dailey; great-great grand-children, Jakori Thomas, Jahri Thomas and Jade Thomas.  Bernice also leaves to cherish  memories two brothers, James Melvin Tucker (Alice) and Clinton Cardell Tucker (Mary); four sisters, Susie Elizabeth Hite, Maggie Lee Wright, Alice Theodora Moore (Eddie) and Lelia Odell Davis; two deeply devoted and loyal friends, nephew Hayes Lowell Tillar and Catherine Barkley and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Relatives and Friends are encouraged to visit Mrs. Walker's  tribute wall to share memories, extend condolences and to order floral tributes, as sentiments to the family.  

The Management and Staff of Knox-High Mortuary, Inc. is privileged to provide

"Distinctive Services, With The Essence Of Excellence"

to the family of Mrs. Cornelia Bernice Walker.

We ask that you join us in remembering the family in both thought and prayer. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Cornelia Bernice (Tucker) Walker, please visit our floral store.