Bertha F. Faries, 81, of Festus died Feb. 13, 2016, at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City. Mrs. Faries was a member of the First Baptist Church of Herculaneum/Pevely. Born Feb. 20, 1934, in Good Water, she was the daughter of the late Ellison L. and Iva Louise (Frazier) Abney. She was preceded in death by her husband: Donald P. Faries.
She is survived by two daughters: Kelly (Scott) Rauth of Barnhart and Karen (Brad) Turner of Arnold; two sons: Donald (Ann) Payne of Lawton, Okla., and Thomas Payne of Fenton; nine grandchildren: Amy (Jarrod) Wehmeier, Jessica Payne, Julia (Paul) Vessells, Janie (Tony) Bailey, Jill Payne, Daniel Payne, David Payne, Brad Turner and Matthew Turner; eight great-grandchildren: Ellis Wehmeier, Grant Vessells, Adalynn Vessells, Morgan Bailey, Kennedy Bailey, Peyton Stranger, Jocelyn Payne and Jackson Payne; a sister: Delores (Gary) Welker of Perryville; and two brothers: Robert Abney of Potosi and Ellison Abney Jr. of Bonne Terre. She was preceded in death by a son: Robert Payne; and a great-grandson: Anthony Bailey.
Visitation is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Vinyard Hillcrest Funeral Home, 9115 Commercial Blvd., in Pevely. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, at the funeral home, officiated by the Rev. Jeff Purvis. Burial is in Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens in Crystal City. Memorials may be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309. Arrangements were under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.