April 30, 1939 – June 6, 2026
Bertha Pearl Cosman passed away peacefully on June 6, 2026, at Bobby’s Hospice in Saint John, with her family by her side. She will be deeply missed by her daughter, Lynn Wallace (Bill); son, Raymond Joyce (Jody); beloved grandchildren, Lillian (Mathieu), Samuel (Tori), Emma (Aidan), and Jonathan; great-grandson Leo; brother Douglas; as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and cherished friends.
Bertha was predeceased by her parents, Helen and Kenneth; siblings Anna (Frank), Stephen (Shirley), Earl (Sylvia), and Walter (Jeanette); spirit sister Deanna (Robert) Mason; granddaughter Leisha; and many friends.
Born at the Head of Millstream on April 30, 1939, Bertha was the second oldest of six siblings. The farm remained close to her heart throughout her life. In later years she enjoyed walking on her property planting trees, or searching the ditches for the first mayflowers of the year.
After graduating from Sussex Composite High School, she found work in Saint John. Bertha worked at many jobs for the Irvings, and at the unemployment insurance office. She made many special lifelong friends along the way.
Bertha loved her home on Queen Street. She enjoyed creating a beautiful garden that evolved year after year. Many of her garden projects became family affairs, with grandchildren Sam, Emma, Jonathan, and later Aidan recruited to help. Each spring, several loads of mulch would arrive, and as soon as the grandchildren were old enough to manage a wheelbarrow, the annual task of spreading it—precisely according to Bertha’s instructions—became theirs. The time spent together in the garden created treasured memories.
Bertha loved to travel to many different places, but she especially treasured walking the beaches in Florida with her sister, Anna. In later years, she took great interest in her grandchildren’s travels, always eager to pull out a map and trace their journeys.
Bertha was a loyal follower of The Royal Family, always looking for the most recent headline and keeping tabs on Royal fashion. A highlight of her recent years was having three cairn terriers: Dolly, Tootsie, and Doris.
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the many doctors and nurses involved in Bertha’s care over the years, especially Drs Morgan Langille, Peechara, and Dolan, the oncology staff at the SJRH, and the staff at Bobby’s Hospice. They would also like to thank her friends and neighbours for their kindness, support, and friendship throughout the years.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, NB (506-634-7424). There will be no funeral service.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Bertha’s memory may be made to Bobby’s Hospice, Carsonville Head Of Millstream United Baptist Church Renovation Fund, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 20 (Sussex), or a charity of your choice.
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