Bessie Lee Pendleton of Bridgehampton died on December 13, the day after her 82nd birthday, at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital.
Born December 12, 1933, in North Carolina, she was the daughter of John Butler Riddick and Hazel Bell Riddick, both of whom predeceased her. She attended school in North Carolina and, in 1948, she married her longtime sweetheart, Lloyd Pendleton, and the couple had eight children. In 1955, they relocated to Bridgehampton where she joined the First Baptist Church, serving faithfully until her health failed. For more than 30 years, she worked at Southampton Hospital as a nursing attendant.
Survivors said she had great compassion and was a surrogate mother to many.
Predeceased by her husband, Lloyd, she is survived by her children, Lloyd Jr. and wife Josie of the Bronx, Bessie Bynum and husband Leroy of Maryland, Edward Pendleton and wife Joyce of North Carolina, Floyd Pendleton of Bayshore, Betty Fulford of Georgia, Matilda Parrish of Medford, Walter Pendelton of Riverhead and Ivan Pendleton of California; an adopted son, Nick Thomas; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and other relatives; two sisters, Verna Brown and husband Walter of Speonk and Doris Madison of Southampton; and dear friend, Clara Jean Martin.
Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Brockett Funeral Home in Southampton. A funeral service took place on December 18 at the First Baptist Church of Bridgehampton.
on Dec 21, 2015