Altha Corley

Altha Alberta Corley was born July 12, 1939 to Arthur and Mamie Burson, in Grants, NM. She passed peacefully in her home on April 25, 2024, at the age of 84. She was number 16 of 19 children born to Arthur and Mamie, and the first in the family to be born in a hospital. 

            As a young child, her family would tune in to the, “Back to the Bible” broadcast on the radio, which began her faith in the Lord. In 1952, she attended a Billy Graham Crusade in Albuquerque, NM. It was here that she made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She enjoyed school and attending the 4H Club with her brothers, sisters, and friends. Her brothers would often find themselves riding horses with the Corley brothers, one of which later would become her husband, Don Corley. 

            She first met Don when she was 8 years old, he 11. Seven years later, on March 21, 1955, at the ages of 15 and 18, they would be married. Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife, finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord.” She was by far his “good thing.” In 1956, they felt the Lord calling them to bible college. They moved to Chattanooga, TN to attend Tennessee Temple University. During this time, she attended college, worked for the Highland Park Nursery, birthed her two oldest daughters, Colleen in 1956, and Sandra in 1957, and in 1959, she received her diploma as a Graduate of Theology. She was the youngest person to graduate from TTU, and remained that way, as they changed the age requirement rules after her graduation. 

            After graduation, she and Don were set to head to Germany as missionaries. However, the Lord had different plans and closed the door to Germany. They returned to Albuquerque, NM, where in 1960 she birthed their son, Randall. Shortly after his birth, they would head north to the Kirtland/Farmington, NM area to spread the gospel to the Navajo people. Here they began working with the Word of Life Navajo Indian Rescue Mission. Later they would go on to create Bible Baptist Shepherd. Together they would work in town at a Kindergarten they started on Animas Street, as well as witnessing on the Bisti Reservation. Eventually, they would buy property on Murray Street, and would start a Navajo Rescue Mission. Between the years of 1962 and 1977, they would welcome five more children, Roxanne, Paul, Burson, Keith, and Bryan. As Bible Baptist Shepherd progressed, they remained a rescue mission, but also became a church and a school. They would run teen camps, oversee mission teams, teach hundreds of students, watch countless sports games, take students to attend competitions across the country, help individuals who needed a hand, all while continuing to love others, and lead them to Christ.

            It was within the school, camps, and mission teams, which ran over 40 years, that she affectionately became known as Aunt Berta. Whether she was your teacher, your camp cook, your prayer partner, or friend, her family was honored to share her with you as your Aunt Berta. 

            Wife. Mom. Grandma. Aunt. Sister. Such small words for the huge impact each word made. Faithful wife of 69 years to Don. Mom to 8 kids, Grandma to 39, Great-Grandma to 80, Great-Great-Grandma to 2. Every single morning, even to the end, she would pray for each child, grandchild, great-grandchild, great-great-grandchild, and their spouses by name. 170 names in total, each morning, committed in prayer to the Lord. What a comfort it was to know that no matter what, you were prayed for each day. She was our prayer warrior. She was the hot cup of coffee that was alway waiting at her home, along with a warm slice of banana bread. She was the boss of every Bluewater and Transfer family camping trip. She was the laughter behind our games of cards, dominos and Wahoo. She was our #1 cheerleader at our sports games, the comfort of Saturday morning pancakes, and the smell of Sunday roast.  She was the ear that listened to our heartbreaks, and the caretaker of our tears.  She was a woman of perseverance and commitment. She never wavered in her love for her family. She was the reminder to “Check your heart," and corrector of our ways. She was the one to point us to Christ, who taught us to seek His will, to follow Him and be faithful in all our ways. She was everything and more to each and every one of us.

            She is survived by her husband, Don Corley; her children, Neil and Colleen Foerster, Ed and Sandy Moore, Randy and Lauralea Corley, Lawrence and Roxie Benally, Paul and Pam Corley, Burson and Debbie Corley, Keith and Rachel Corley, Bryan and Leah Corley; her brother Chester and Helen Burson; and her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. 

            She is preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Mamie Burson; 17 of her brothers and sisters; and her daughter-in-law, Misty Corley. 

            A funeral service will be held at 10am, on May 10th, at College Heights Baptist Church, located at 2700 Harvard Dr., Farmington, NM. Following the service a reception and viewing will be held at Day3Church, located at 1111 S. Miller Ave. 

            Berta lived her life in the same way she challenged those around her to live, and that was, live for the Lord. Philippians 1:6, a verse she loved, says, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” The Lord began a good work in her at a young age, and she saw it to completion when she left this earth. She is so loved, and will be so missed. She will carry on in our memories and in our stories. Most importantly, she was untied with those who went before her in heaven, and she will one day be reunited with those she left behind because of our salvation in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be my sight, the clouds be rolled back as the scroll. The trumpet will sound and the Lord shall appear, even so, it is well with my soul.”