Mrs. Beatrice Dudley McQueen died peacefully at McLeod Hospice House on Wednesday, August 13, 2014.
Celebration of Life will be held at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and will receive friends after the service in the parish house.
Mrs. McQueen (Bee), the youngest of five children was born on December 17, 1927 in Marion County to Hal Dudley and Eugenia Fore Dudley. She graduated from Zion High School and entered Coker College to study music. She was a gifted pianist and shared her talent on innumerable occasions far and wide.
She was of a generous nature often thinking of ways to help relatives and friends.
Bee was a faithful member of St. Barnabas Church and served in many leadership roles during her long years of membership. She was also a former member of the Business and Professional Womens Club. She was a member of the McLeod Hospital Auxiliary where she served as president. Additionally, she was a member of bridge clubs and two garden clubs. As to the garden clubs, her yard resembled a garden with a thick carpet of grass interspersed with flowering shrubs and trees. It was not uncommon to see her on the lawnmower or with some implement working in the yard (her “pride and joy”) to satisfy her passion for a well-kept appearance.
Bee was pre-deceased by four siblings, Carlisle Dudley, Earline Dudley, Nancy Reaves, and Kathleen Habel; husbands, Preston Lang Bethea (Bud), and John Edmond McQueen; a son, Archibald Dudley Bethea and a great-grandson, Lawson Drew Bethea.
She is survived by two sons, Sherwood Jackson “Woody” English of Marion, Gene Bethea of Latta; a daughter, Margaret Gillard Bethea of N. Myrtle Beach; seven grandchildren Gina (Kevin) Scott, Jacqueline English, Preston “Bud” (Amy) Bethea, Adam (Michele) English, Jennifer Bethea, and Preston (Kendal) Bethea, Austin English, Abbey, and Tripod; great-grandchildren Layne and Jacob Scott, Madison Bethea, Jackson, Lawson, and Sam English; two step-sons, Ladd McQueen, Missouri, and Dr. John E. McQueen, Jr. Wilmington, N.C.; and a special great niece, Kim Snyder.
Appreciation is extended to the doctors and nurses at McLeod Regional Medical Center, Dillon and Florence and McLeod Hospice House for their kindness and concern for “Bee,” our Mother.
