Berneth “Boots” Arvada Dokey, 55, of 76th Street in South Haven, and formerly of Niles, died at 1 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, at her home.

Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Rev. Christopher Kruchkow of Faith United Methodist Church, officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

She was born on Nov. 21, 1953, in Niles, to Bernath Eugene Bush and Eunice “Jody” Arvada Bates. prior to moving to South Haven, 13 years ago, she had lived in South Bend, Ind. and Niles.

She graduated from Brandywine High School with the Class of 1972. She was a member of the American Legion Post No. 26 in Niles.

She enjoyed gardening, fishing, horses, auto mechanics and spending time with her grandchildren.

Surviving family includes sons, James “Jimmy” (Tiffany) Jaynes of Niles, William (Jennifer) Litka of Buchanan and Fred (Virginia Cripe) Gross III of Mishawaka, Ind.; daughters, Farrah Gross and Cassaundra Hollendersky, both of South Bend, Ind. and Latisha (Kenneth) Tomsa of South Haven; 24 grandchildren; sisters, Sharon K. Matthews of Niles, Carmen J. “Trinket” Smith of Bradyville, Tenn. and Cindy Seitenstich of Dowagiac; a brother, David K. Matthews of Bradyville, Tenn.; step-sisters, Linda Fashling and Ruth Niewland; step-brother, Butch Matthews; and a companion, Richard Lindsley, Jr. of South Haven.

She was preceded in death by a son, Farron Gross, in 1979; a granddaughter, and a brother, Alvin D. “George” Matthews, who died on Oct. 11, 2007.

Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.