Carrie Bertha Isaac

She was salt and light. Her legacy is preserved, her descendants path illuminated by one simple, reigning truth that governed her life, the only advice she d give for every situation: Trust Jesus. Carrie Bertha Isaac transitioned to her heavenly reward May 9, 2010. Born in Starksville, Mississippi on August 8, 1927, to B. Gillespie and Bertha Lou Rice, Carrie was an only child surrounded by a wealth of extended family. She would eventually go to live with her father and stepmother in St. Louis, MO. Carrie married Joseph Means, Sr., a soldier in the US Army, and bore three children: Dean, Joseph, Jr., and Marian. Carrie lived on Army bases around the world, including Okinawa, Japan, before settling in Redlands, CA, where she worked, served and lived for the last 50 years. In 1994, after working 19 years as a secretary, Carrie retired from the California Department of Aging. During the early years of her retirement, she was a regular attendee at the God s Woman Conference in California, and other spiritual gatherings for people of faith. The latter part of her retirement years was spent primarily in intercessory prayer for her family, for the body of Christ and for our country. For 50 years, Carrie was a member of the Second Baptist Church of Redlands, where she served in a variety of roles from Sunday School teacher to deaconess. She was also infamous for following up with church members whom she had not seen, checking on and praying with them for their various needs. She leaves to celebrate her life and continue her legacy two sons Dean and Joseph Means; two daughter-in-laws Deborah Means and Prunella Means; three granddaughters Alexus Means-Rhone, Cara Means, and Susan Means; six grandsons R. D. Means, Jonathan Means, Josiah Means, Michael Means, Dean Means, Jr., and Ted Davis; one grandson-in-law Lewis Rhone; one granddaughter-in-law Evangeline Mitchell-Means; three great-granddaughters Kayla Turner, LaMari Means and Nyla Means; and two great-grandsons Dean Means, III, and Michael Means, Jr. Carrie was preceded in death by daughter Marian Means and granddaughter Diedre Allums. Carrie s home-going celebration is set for Wednesday, May 19, 2010, at 11:00 a.m., at the Emmerson & Bartlett Memorial Chapel, located at 703 Brookside Ave., in Redlands, CA. For more information, please contact the funeral home at (909) 793-2311.