Edith Ardis Singleton

Posted

Edith Ardis Singleton, 93, widow of John W. Singleton, died Monday, June 29, 2015, after a brief illness.

Born Jan. 3, 1922, in Pinewood, she was a daughter of the late Newell Legrand Ardis Sr. and Eva Holliday Ardis. She grew up on the family farm near Pinewood, and attended local schools, graduating in 1939 from the Pinewood School with honors.

She was a child of the Great Depression, which imbued her with a strong work ethic and with a sense of duty to her country and to others. She served her country in World War II by working at the Charleston Naval Shipyard in the payroll department, where she was in charge of administering the payroll for the entire facility.

In the course of her work, she was one of the first women in this area to regularly operate a computer. After the war she moved to Sumter, where she married John W. Singleton in 1951. She worked briefly at Shaw Air Force Base until she left government service to dedicate herself to being a full-time wife and mother, raising her two children, Johnny and Nancy.

She was a devoted student of the Bible and an active member of First Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school for more than 20 years. In 2013, she published the result of a life of reflections on this study of the Bible in a book entitled "Treasured Thoughts." She was also an avid quilter who worked tirelessly to produce a tremendous collection of fine quilts to hand down to her family and friends.

An accomplished seamstress, she found an outlet for her love of sewing and for her love of people by sewing for a wide variety of customers from her home. Her sewing customers were in fact more than her customers. They were her friends; and it was not unusual for sewing sessions to turn into tea parties where wonderful conversations were had and where good advice and loving kindness was served along with the tea and cakes. So while she was a mother of two, she was a friend and mother figure to many

She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.

Besides her husband, who died in 1981, she was preceded in death by her son, John W. "Johnny" Singleton Jr., who died in 1996; and five brothers, Newell LeGrand Ardis Jr., Vernon W. Ardis, Zane G. Ardis, Norman G. Ardis and Fred M. Ardis.

Survivors include her daughter, Nancy Singleton Weinberg and her husband, Mortimer M. "Russ" Weinberg III, of Sumter; a granddaughter, Meredith Amanda Weinberg of Columbia; a daughter-in-law, Pat Singleton-Spencer; three beloved sisters-in-law, Margaret Ardis, Jackie Ardis and Esther Singleton; a brother-in-law, Julian Singleton; and a number of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

A service for the celebration of her life and for the comfort of her family and friends will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 1, 2015, at Sumter Cemetery, with the Rev. Dan Barber officiating.

The family will receive friends at the home of Nancy and Russ Weinberg, 2 Swan Lake Drive in Sumter, from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2015, and again immediately following services on Wednesday.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that in memory of her, you commit yourself to acts of kindness to your family and friends.

You may sign the family’s guest book at www.bullockfuneralhome.com.

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.