Mrs. Berlene Crumblin Archie

Berlene Crumblin was born in Fairfield County South Carolina near the end of the hard-scrabble times of the Great Depression on November 16, 1939. She was one of five children born to John Crumblin, a hard-working pulp wood harvester and Mary Ellen Crumblin, a homemaker. She was raised in a Christian family in Jenkinsville and enjoyed a simple life on a farm, growing up with her two brothers and two sisters. As was typically in the rural African American South of the times, she was surrounded by a large extended family and enjoyed the time she spent with her many cousins. She also had a special relationship with the Keller Family, her closest friends and neighbors.Berlene attended school at McCrorey Liston in Blair but prior to graduation left the state to start a new life in New York City with her husband Horace in 1958. Berlene and Horace had 3 children, two born in New York and the oldest born in South Carolina. Because of the difficulty in raising children in NY when just starting out as adults, Berlene’s mother volunteered to raise Berlene’s oldest son Jeff while Berlene and Horace worked and established their life in New York.Berlene lived in New York for 13 years before returning to South Carolina. Shortly after returning to South Carolina and while living in Columbia, Berlene worked for many years with South Carolina National Bank. She also worked part-time for the J. B. White’s department store where many of her friends shopped.Working was a theme throughout Berlene’s adult life. She worked for a number of employers in a number of different roles but in all cases was always reliable and dedicated.She was known to her friends and family as being very caring and generous. Her warm smile and lively sense of humor were trademarks of her character.Berlene has befriended many throughout her years and continued to bring joy to all that interacted with her during her extended stay at White Oak Manor in Newberry. She had a strong faith and a special relationship with God, a relationship that continued to sustain her throughout her illness with Alzheimer’s Disease.She leaves a legacy of love and cherished memories to her three (3) sons, Jeffrey (Leslie) of Chapin, Eric of Columbia, and Matthew Lamont “Moncy” Archie of Miami, Florida; her brothers John “Jay” (Gecora) of Fort Walton Beach, Florida and Wilbert Crumblin of Winnsboro; her sister Betty (John) Hudson of Columbia; her three grandchildren, Camille and Bryant Archie and Joby Glymph, and a multitude of loving and caring family members, her church family and special friends. Also a most special thank you to the excellent care she received from the professional staff at White Oak Manor in Newberry. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association to help fight this devastating disease.  Funeral service will be 2:00pm (1:00pm viewing) Sun. Jan. 7, 2018 @ St. Peter Community Church, 4783 Clark Bridge Rd. Blair SC 29015 with burial in the Church Cemetery. The viewing and visitation will only be done at the Church.                                                                             

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