Bernice E. Tinsley

Bernice Eugenia Tinsley, passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 16, 2010 in a local healthcare facility. A lifelong resident of Bradley County, she was born December 22, 1921 to William Henry Little and Lucy Alice Reynolds Little. Her grandparents were W. Henry and Laura Cole Little of Cleveland and Giles and Molly Young Reynolds of Elizabethton. She was a faithful member of the Eastside Church of Christ. The widow of Fletcher Owen Bird and Charles N. Tinsley. She was also preceded in death by her step-father, John Houston McConnell, Sr.; brothers, Martin and Theodore Little; sisters: Lois Little Buchanan and Marjorie McConnell Snyder; infant grandson and step brothers: Fletcher, Arvin, Phillip and J.H. "Shorty" McConnell; step sisters, Gladys McConnell Geary and Nellie McConnell Carson. She is survived by her sons, George Richard Bird and Larry Owen Bird and wife, Ann; daughter, Sandra Caylor and husband, Doyle; brothers: Clifford McConnell and Sam McConnell; sister, Freida McConnell Cronan all of Cleveland; step children: Barbara Tinsley Adams, Charles T. Tinsley, William Tinsley and Sharon Tinsley Bowen; grandchildren: Jeff and Dustin Bird, Amy Bird Gibson and David Bird, Kevin Caylor and Kendra Caylor Puckett and Kymberly Bird Holland; great grandchildren: Jonah, Daniel, Dakota , Brayton, Bristol, Jacob, Rose and Clementine Bird, Kelsie, Meredith, Emily and Owen Gibson, Jordan and Lauren Caylor, Eli Puckett, Brianne and Zachary Prichett and Peyton Holland. Funeral services will be conducted at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, February 18, 2010 in the chapel of Fike Funeral Home with Minister Jeff Archey officiating. Interment will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 19, 2010 in Hilcrest Memorial Gardens with Jeff Bird, David Bird, Jonah Bird, Daniel Bird, Kevin Caylor and John Puckett serving as pallbearers. Dustin Bird will serve as honorary pallbearer. The family will receive friends from 4-7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home prior to the service. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Tinsley family guestbook at www.fikefh.com.