Bernice McGhee: August 22, 1934  -  December 30, 2017 Born August 22, 1934 Bernice McGhee, known to many as Aunt Bernice,  "Auntee",  "Grammy" and to a special few as "Bunch Anne" began her life's race.  On December 30, 2017 she passed away peacefully in her sleep at  Bridgewater Rehabilitation Center for Nursing.  She lived by the scripture in 2 Timothy 4:7 where it says: " I fought a fine fight, I have run the race to the finish, I have observed the faith".  She was born  to the late Willie F. (Goodie) and the late Carrie Lou (Spivey) McGhee in Dooly County, GA.  At the young age of 17 she traveled to Hartford, CT and married David Hampton in 1951.  Soon, at the recommendation of David's Sister, Ola Woolfolk, they relocated to Binghamton, NY where they settled and raised a family.  After the passing of her Sister-in-Law, LeDora Hampton, in 1966, Bernice took in her nephew, Philip, and raised him like her own.  She was a hairdresser, an avid Seamstress and for a time owned and operated "Auntee's Dress Shoppe" on the Southside of Binghamton.  She worked at Dunn and McCarthy Shoe Factory in the early 60's and retired from the IBM Corporation in 1993.  She had a lead foot and was prone to drive almost anywhere.  Her style and class was untouched as she outfitted her children, husband, brothers, sisters and friends with personally sewn clothes.  She loved life, could cut a rug on the dance floor with her then husband "twinkle toes" Dave, had a green thumb (could grow any kind of plant), made the best Brunswick Stew on any side of the Mason-Dixon line, could cook the wild animal out of a raccoon, and had the biggest heart (always doing for others).  As her younger brothers, sisters, nephews, etc., came of age and left Dooly County, GA, she took many of them in, giving them their start up North.  She relocated to Florida in 1993, but couldn't stay away from her family and friends; so she returned to Binghamton in 2004.   Bernice was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1962.  She served Jehovah God relentlessly, praising Him, and based her life on His Word, the Bible, as she awaited the time when the world would become a Paradise! She is survived by her children:  Philip S. (Rose) Hampton, Glenn M. (Valerie) Hampton, and Carolyn Annette Hampton (Marietta, GA); her grandchildren:  Michael Hampton, Karissa (Henderson) Williams (Ypsilianti, MI), Talyse Hampton, Morgan Hampton, and Devan Hampton (Phoenix, AZ);  her siblings:  Ernie W. McGhee (Charlotte, NC), Melvin McGhee, Edward (Mary) McGhee (Seat Pleasant, MD), Louise McGhee, and Dorothy Jean McGhee (both of Charlotte, NC).  Three Sister-in-Laws:  Beulah McGhee, Rosa McGhee (Dooling, GA), and Jane McGhee (St. Petersburg, FL).  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her other siblings:  Willie McGhee, Jr., David McGhee, Zula Belle McGhee, Cornelius McGhee, John McGhee, and Marvin McGhee. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, 3 great grandchildren,  grand nieces, and grand nephews in New York, Connecticut, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina. The family will receive friends from 5 - 7 pm Friday, January 5, 2018 at the Hopler & Eschbach Funeral Home - 483 Chenango St., Binghamton, NY 13901.  Memorial Service will be held 11 am Saturday, January 6, 2018 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 184 Castle Creek Rd., Binghamton, NY 13904.

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