Bernadette M. Colen

Mary Bernadette Colen was born in Indian Head, Maryland, on March 3, 1920 to the late Joseph Canfield Carter and Mary Elizabeth Campbell Carter. She was the second oldest of ten children. Bernadette married George Guy Colen on December 3, 1936. They were united for seventy-six years until his death on April 9, 2013. Of this union their son, George Gareth Colen was born. Bernadette was a model for Scurlock Studio in Washington, DC for many years. Several photographs of her are included in The Scurloch Studio Collection at The Smithsonian Institution in the Nation's Capital. After her retirement from The Library of Congress in the early 1950's, Bernadette continued to pursue her avid interest in decorating her home and entertaining family and friends. She created a warm and unique atmosphere where family and friends gathered frequently. Few weekends during the summer months passed when Bernadette did not welcome her many family members to her home for cook-outs and her famous peach cobbler and fried chicken. She is survived by her son, Gareth; grandchildren, Garrett (Melody) Toriano and Christina (Jeffrey); and great-grandson, Jason; sisters, Edna, Joyce, and Connie, many nephews, nieces; sister-in-laws, Emma and Carmelita, as well as host of other relatives and friends. Bernadette was predeceased by her husband, George; great-grandson, Robert; brothers, Kenneth, Morgan, and James; sisters Clementine, Velena, and Jacqueline.