Juanita Bethune Wilson Pendergrass, widow of Woodrow Wilson and Jackson Pendergrass, died Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, at Providence Hospital in Columbia.
Born Aug. 3, 1925, in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late Viola Bethune Richburg and James Henry Gibson.
She attended Clarendon County public schools. She accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Mt. Zero Missionary Baptist Church in Paxville. She was a faithful member there until relocating to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she placed her membership at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church and was employed as a domestic worker for many years.
She later relocated to Manning as a promise to her late sister, Dorothy Lloyd, to care for her nieces and nephews. She continued to be employed as a domestic worker for many years, until her retirement.
While living in Manning, Juanita Bethune Wilson Pendergrass was a dedicated member of the Order of the Eastern Star New Light Chapter No. 254. She was a member of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Manning, where she was a faithful member of the Adult Choir, the Usher Board and as a missionary and pastor's aide, until her health declined.
For the past 13 years, Juanita Bethune Wilson Pendergrass has lived at Life Care of Columbia.
Besides her parents and husbands, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Woodrow Bethune and Henry Bethune; a sister, Dorothy B. Lloyd; and a stepdaughter, Albertha Richburg.
Survivors include two daughters, Vivian (Terry) Pack of Columbia and Sue Ellen Nesmith of Philadephia; a stepson, the Rev. Eddie Pendergrass of Sumter; four sisters, Mable Miller and Phyllis Gerald, both of Manning, Henry Lucille Brunson of New York, N.Y., and Inez Hall of Akron, Ohio; a brother, Julius W. (Mary) Gibson of Albany, N.Y.; seven grandchildren, Andre, Terrell, Tierra, Wilbur Jr., Cynthia, Sheila and Sharon; eight great-grandchildren; three sisters-in-law, Sadie Pendergrass DuPree and Joseph Pendergrass, both of Manning, and Mary B. Pendergrass of Kingstree; a brother in law, Samuel (Clara) Pendergrass II of Louisville, Kentucky; and a number of loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, at Hickory Grove Baptist Church, 1168 Driggers Lane in Manning, with Pastor Lucretia Pugh bringing words of comfort.
Members of the Masonic Lodge No. 99 served as pallbearers.
Members of the Order of the Eastern Star New Light Chapter No. 254 served as floral bearers.
Memorial messages for the family of Juanita Bethune Wilson Pendergrass may be left here.
McCollum-Myers Mortuary and Cremation Services of Columbia handled arrangements.
