"Let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to man."    - Sam Walter Foss

Mrs. Venezuela Burgess Ford was born on October 19, 1931 to Mrs. Mollie and Mr. Cyrus Burgess in Gable, SC.  She was called to her eternal home on February 12, 2023. She was the oldest girl of nine siblings.  She was educated early in Clarendon County but later moved to St. Stephen, SC to live with Mr. and Mrs. Warren Gamble. There she became a lifelong member of Allen A.M.E. Church.

Venezuela continued her secondary education at Russellville High School and post-secondary education at South Carolina State University where she earned her Master's in Education and was a PhD Candidate. She later taught in Berkeley County for thirty-eight (38) years. During that time, she thrived in multiple causes and associations such as: NAACP, National Education Association (NEA), South Carolina Education Association (SCEA), Berkeley County Education Association (BCEA) and the Retired Teachers Association.

Venezuela was a community-minded person and served on the Berkeley County Planning Commission to help in making improvements in her community. Her passion definitely was her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, in which she served in multiple capacities.

Venezuela B. Ford was known by many different names. She was "Sister" to her family; "V.B." to her associates; and "Ven" to her friends. Her hobbies were sewing and cooking. She baked the best biscuits around.

Venezuela met and married Willie E. Ford in 1956. Their union resulted in three sons: Dino E. Ford who preceded her in death (2019), Dwayne (Joy) and Shaun (Crystal). She lived to know nine (9) grandchildren and two (2) great-grandchildren. She also leaves a loving sister, Kittye Brown, and a host of nieces, nephews, friends and associates.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held Thursday, February 23, 2023, 11:00 a.m., at Allen AME Church, 280 Hood Street, St. Stephen, SC. Interment will be in St. Paul Memorial Gardens. Viewing will be held Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Gethers St. Stephen Chapel, 221 Church Road, St. Stephen, SC. There will be no viewing at the service.

The service will be live streamed on the funeral home's Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/gethersfh