Bertha Exilhomme Major

Bertha Major of Ridgecrest California died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on  Tuesday, September 27, 2022, in Loma Linda, California-Loma Linda Medical Center.  She was 86 years old.

Marie Louise Bertha Exilhomme was born December 26, 1935, in Port-au-Prince Haiti to Albert and Sainrilia.  She was one of six children. In the mid-1960s, Bertha came to the United States.  A culture shock having left a tropical island moving to the desert community of  Ridgecrest  California where she was employed as a housekeeper.

It was in Ridgecrest where she met Jonas Major and they were married on October 29, 1966.  In February of 1969, she was proud to become a U.S. Naturalized citizen.  The couple was uniited in marriage for 28 years before Jonas' passing in 1995. They were blessed with three children ( one daughter and two sons) who were raised here in this community.

Bertha was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church. Her tremendous love for children led her to operate her own business as a home daycare provider for numerous years. Many of those children cared for in her home were treated as extended family.  Birthday parties, holiday celebrations, periodic vacation trips, and outings to amusement parks (Disneyland) or the mountains ( Whitney Portals) brought joy to her heart to bring smiles to " her children."

Bertha was a wife, a mother, and a grandmother.  She loved caring for people in need, volunteering at the church, watching over her daycare children, and cherishing her family time; cooking, and entertaining. She had a loving heart and a generous

soul. Bertha is preceded in death by her parents, her husband  Jonas Major, and two sisters  Madeline Prince and Marie Exilhomme.

She leaves to cherish her memory daughter Colleen Major(William) of Ridgecrest California; sons- Marvin Major (Christi) of San Diego California and Bryant Major (Shannon) of Fresno California.

Surviving siblings: Cecilia  Exilhomme, Gerald Exilhomme of Brooklyn  New York, and Solange Exilhomme of Montreal Canada.

Grandchildren: Sairilia, Micaiah, Laila, Jonas, and Maxwell.  Great Grandchildren, great great grandchildren ,a host of nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.