Pansy Ridgeway, 92, died Sunday, April 2, 2023, at her home surrounded by her family.
Born January 1, 1931, in Manning, she was a daughter of the late Henry Badger Ridgeway and the late Ruth Eleanor Riggs Ridgeway. She was a graduate of Furman University and former co-owner and operator of Polly & Pansy’s Shoppe. She was the first female Manning City Council member for eight years and served as Mayor of Manning for 26 years. She was the first woman president of the South Carolina Municipal Association. She chaired the Santee-Lynches Council and she received the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Richard W. Riley. Miss Pansy was instrumental in obtaining one million dollars in grant money for Clarendon Memorial Hospital. She was a member of Manning First Baptist Church.
She is survived by her sister, Polly R. Sankus of Manning; and a host of nieces and nephews including two special nieces, Dianne Galloway and Debbie Walker, who thought of Miss Pansy as a second mother.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by eight siblings, Delma Ridgeway, HB Ridgeway, Rena Harrington, Elma Wells, Hattie Hallman, Margaret Oldham, Mae Jenne and Jennie Benton.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at Manning First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Phillip Reynolds, Rev. Charles Hook and Rev. Pat Goodwin officiating. Burial will follow in the Manning Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Robert Norris, Jr., Carter Jones, Kevin Ross, Jimmy Bagnal, Barry Ham and Billy Geddings.
Honorary pallbearers will be John Land, Nelson Parker, Derrick Fort, Billy Coffey, Sonny Sanders, Jimmy Thompson, Jimmy Ham, Tommy Benton, Charles Knoles, Bill Buyck, Bubba Wells and Tom Vassar.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the residence, 208 Fuller Street, Manning.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.
Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church Street, Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org
