Celia Moore O’Neal, wife of Charles A. O’Neal, of Blenheim, SC, passed away on February 3, 2011, after a long illness.
Born in 1930 in Chesterfield County, SC, to John and Gatha Therrell Moore, Celia spent her youth in Bennettsville, SC, and remembered fondly life in a small town during the war. She attended Winthrop College and The University of South Carolina, and, nearly thirty years later, received her B. A. in History at Francis Marion College.
She devoted herself to her five children: Martha Glover (Will) of Phoenix, AZ; Charles (Marsha) of Columbia, SC; Steve (Ann) of Blenheim; Johnny (Beverly) of Blenheim, and Mary Anne O’Neal Ingle (David) of Athens, GA; thirteen grandchildren; and fourteen great-grandchildren. In addition to her children and grandchildren, she is survived by her husband, Charles, of the home, and her sister, Bonnie McGuffin (Harold), of Irmo, SC and many nieces and nephews.
She was also committed to her church family at Brownsville Baptist Church, where her deep knowledge of the scriptures made her a valued teacher. Civic duties were also important to her. She served on the Library Board, as an interim Clerk of Court, and was appointed to the Election Committee. In addition, she was a long-time member of the Marlboro County Historical Society.
Celia loved literature and learning. She was a member of the Duke of Marlborough Garden Club and the Palmetto Book Club, where she led many interesting programs on a wide variety of topics. A lifetime member of the Thomas Wolfe Society, she loved the Asheville novelist’s works and prized the friendships she made at the annual meetings held all over the United States. She loved to travel for study, leisure, and for mission work.
She will be remembered for her faithful and steadfast service to her church, family, and community and for her intelligence and generosity. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, her friends at home and all over the world, winning at Jeopardy, and the company of her large and loving family.
A memorial service will be held at Brownsville Baptist Church in Blenheim, SC at 3:00 pm on Sunday, February 6th.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Chapel Fund of Pine Hill Baptist Retreat, 2096 Baptist Rd., Bennettsville, SC., 29512; or to McLeod Hospice, P.O. Box 100551, Florence, SC, 29502-0551
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