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Bertha Mahalia Gaines, age 85 of Brookneal, passed away on Jan. 5, at her residence. She was the daughter of late Mr. Phillip Elam and Mrs. Matilda Fields Elam. She was preceded in death by her husband, Mr. Charlie N. Gaines; her twin sister, Rosa Pannell; her daughter, Rita Gaines; three brothers, Thomas Elam, Carlthon Elam and Carl Elam and granddaughter, Alisha Asher. She is survived by seven daughters, Linda Elam of Newark, New Jersey, Brenda Pannell, Carolyn Elam (Frank), Connie Gaines, Rachel Gaines and Robinette Asher (Toby), all of Brookneal, and Ruth Elam of Powhatan; two sons, Charles Roland Gaines of Charlotte Court House and Ronald Dean Gaines (Gloria) of Brookneal; eighteen grandchildren, Iritta, Sabrina, Terra, Alonzo, Mario, Marco, Erik, Latisha, Katrina, Kimball, Richard, Toby, Wanda, Earl, Kelly, Kevin, Jill and Nathan; thirty-nine great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; four sisters, Frances Townsend, Iris Bates, Catherine Elam and Patricia Elam; one brother, Earl Elam and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 11 a.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel in Brookneal with interment in Ridgeway Presbyterian Cemetery in Brookneal. Condolences may be expressed at www.JeffressFuneralHome.com. Arrangements were by Jeffress Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Brookneal.