~ [p~, cgele6JtatiMb (ill~ fi}t 911J. ~JC 91Wl ~tdckA ~~~ (j)f{/kJrtjb00//1/ Sunrise: November 25, 1914 Sunset: April13, 2013 ~ [p~ (i!/emWe Thursday, April18, 2013 Two 0' clock in the Afternoon Francis Bums United Methodist Church 5616 Farrow Road Columbia, South Carolina Reverend Dr. Ernest 0. Etheredge ~ ~[p~, (i!/emWe Saturday, April20, 2013 Two O'clock in the Afternoon Dunton United Methodist Church 323 East Buford Street Gaffney, South Carolina Reverend Lillie Davis, Pastor 9l2me 8}~ ({?/~ Thursday, April 18, 2013-2:00 P.M. Francis Burns United Methodist Church Columbia, South Carolina Presiding, Reverend Joseph A. Wilson, II Pastor, I. D. Newman United Methodist Church Columbia, South Carolina The Gathering The Processional The Word of Grace Greetings Selection ......................................................... I. Q. Newman United Methodist Church Choir "The Lord is My Light" Scripture Reading: Old Testament ............... Psalm 90 ............. Reverend Dr. Ernest 0. Etheredge Pastor, Francis Burns United Methodist Church New Testament ................ Hebrew 11:8-19 .. .............. Reverend Willie Wilson A Former Pastor Affirmation of Faith (In Unison) - Hymnal# 881 Reflections ...................................................................................... Mr. Herbert Walker Member of I. D. Newman United Methodist Church Ms. Brandolyn Pinkston Famity Friend Dr. Rufus H. Foster, Jr. Foster Funeral Home Presentation- J. C. Smith Proclamation Selection .......................................................................... I. D. Newman United Methodist Church Choir Words of Comfort ............................................................... Reverend Joseph A. Wilson, II Prayer of Thanksgiving ................................................................ Dr. Jimmy Montgomery Prayer of Commendation ...................................................................... Reverend Dr. Ernest Etheredge Recessional ......... .............. ............................................ Instrumental by Ms. Corrie Boyce Saturday, April 20, 2013 2:00P.M. Dunton United Methodist Church 323 East Buford Street Gaffney, South Carolina Presiding, Reverend Lillie Davis, Pastor The Gathering The Processional The Word of Grace Greetings Selection .....................................................................Dunton United Methodist Church Choir Scripture Reading: Old Testament .......................................... Reverend Dr. Ernest 0. Etheredge Pastor, Francis Burns United Methodist Church, Columbia, South Carolina New Testament ................................ Reverend Willie Wilson, A Former Pastor Affirmation of Faith (In Unison) - Hymnal # 881 Acknowledgements ........................................................................... Dr. Rufus H. Foster, Jr. Reflections ................................................................. Reverend Willie Wilson, A Former Pastor Mrs. Gloria Rosemond Sorority Sister and Family Friend Reverend Joseph A. Wilson, II Pastor, I. D. Newman United Methodist Church, Columbia, South Carolina Selection ......................................................... Dunton United Methodist Church Praise Singers Words of Comfort .......................................................................... Reverend James C. Lane Pastor, Saint Paul United Methodist Church, Kingstree, South Carolina, and a Former Pastor Prayer of Thanksgiving Prayer of Commendation Recessional Committal, Benediction and Interment Limestone Cemetery Tindall Terrace Gaffney, South Carolina 06iituur;y "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." II Timothy 4:6-8 Mrs. Esther Nell Knuckles Glymph Witherspoon was the second daughter and seventh of nine children born to Asa and Beatrice Shippy Knuckles in Gaffney, South Carolina, on November 25, 1914. The Knuckles family was well known in the community. The father was a leader in what was then known as the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1944 she was united in holy matrimony to her first husband, Mr. Clarence Lawrence "J. C." Glymph, Jr., a World War II Veteran and a High School Principal in Cherokee County. They were married for eighteen years before he preceded her in death. In 1975, Mrs. Witherspoon met her second husband, Reverend Dr. J. W. Witherspoon, a minister and educator of Columbia who also preceded her in death. Seven brothers and one sister preceded her in death. The church and the love of reading were given high priority in the Knuckles family. Mrs. Witherspoon joined Dunton at a very early age and was a dedicated and active member. Later, she helped to establish the I. D. Newman United Methodist Church and was very faithful and worked diligently in its daily activities. She was a great supporter of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. She was a church school teacher for twenty-one years. While living in Gaffney, Mrs. Witherspoon completed elementary and junior high school in Gaffney. Given that the local high school was not accredited, she completed high school in Shelby, North Carolina. She matriculated at Johnson C. Smith University in North Carolina, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in elementary education. Her first teaching assignment moved her to Cleveland County, North Carolina. She later attained a high school certification in English and social studies in 1953. Mrs. Witherspoon decided to pursue graduate work in library science at Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve) in Cleveland, Ohio. This degree was very scarce in any high school and even in some colleges at that time. She was awarded a Master of Science Degree in Library Science in 1955. Upon earning her degree in 1955, she became the first full time librarian at Granard High School and was given the daunting task of establishing libraries in the seventeen elementary schools. Within a five year period, she had achieved accredited libraries in all of the elementary schools in Cherokee County. Mrs. Witherspoon served for three years as the catalogue and acquisition librarian at Allen University. With this position, she had completed 46 years of professional service. Reading and reciting fascinated her and it was the beginning of a lifetime love of reading and a connection with books. She retired and focused her attention on church and community activities. Mrs. Witherspoon's civic and professional activities were numerous and varied. She was the first person of color on numerous Board of Trustees and/or Directors (Gaffney County Library, American Association of University Women). She was also a member of the NAACP, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, The Shepherd Center, The Red Hat Society, J. C. Smith University Columbia Alumni Chapter, and a charter member of the I. DeQuincey 'j Newman United Methodist Church with a wing of the church named in her honor which displays her portrait, and a life member of the local, state and National Teachers Association. Our special and loving aunt, step-grandmother, cousin, and in-law, Mrs. Esther Nell Knuckles Glymph Witherspoon of 1825 Saint Julian Place 3-H, Columbia, went horne to be with the Lord on Saturday morning, April13, 2013, around 7:15A.M. at her residence. Mrs. Witherspoon was a person of love and action and was very active until a month ago. She loved the Lord, her family, church, friends and people in general. She was a source of inspiration, encouragement and strength for all. She spent a great deal of time caring for her mother and others. She will always be remembered for the love she gave to her family and friends, her church, her community, to those she worked with, and to all who were around her. The memories of her will always be cherished in our hearts and in the hearts of many. We loved her. She will be dearly missed. Left to cherish many fond and loving memories is her loving family: Mr. Fredrick Robinson, a great-nephew of Greenville, South Carolina~ three great great-nephews, Mr. LeBrandon Peeler of Gaffney, South Carolina, and Mr. Fredrick L. Robinson, II and Mr. Le Sean D. Robinson, both of Austin, Texas~ nieces, Dr. Bertha T. Harris (J. Franklyn) and Ms. Blanch E. Talley of Gaffney, South Carolina, and Ms. LaVerne Richards of Houston, Texas~ nephews, Mr. Robin Washington (Anne) of Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Harold G. Talley and Mr. Steven Glymph (Denise) of Gaffney, South Carolina, Mr. Clarence Glymph (Carla) of Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Gerald Washington of Aurora, Colorado, and Mr. Gerard Washington (Jeanette) of Austin, Texas~ great nieces, Ms. Amy Knuckles and Ms. LaShunda Knuckles of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Ms. Kiana Howard of South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, South Carolina~ a step-granddaughter, Ms. Aquanetta Witherspoon of Columbia, South Carolina~ other relatives and many friends. "0 how blessed is the promise when our spirit is set free, To be absent from the body, means to live, 0 Lord, with Thee! " I am home in Heaven dear ones, Oh, so happy and so bright! There is perfect joy and beauty In this everlasting light. All the pain and grief is over, Every restless tossing passed; I am now at peace forever, Safely home in Heaven at last We all need a time to grieve, a quiet time for reflections to sift through precious memories and come to grips with what has happened. We all need a time to let the tears flow; not for the ones we lost who are at peace in Heaven, but for ourselves as we realize that things will be different now. We all need a time to just "be", when we can open ourselves to God and let the reassurance of His everlasting love start to heal our broken hearts. God gave us the gift of time, and one of its greatest uses is the healing of a broken heart. Even during your darkest nights, God has promised to hold your hand. He will be there to comfort you, and He will give you strength to face this time of sorrow. - Anonymous - Members of I. D. Newman United Methodist Women Organization Members of I. D. Newman United Methodist Men Organization Members of Dunton United Methodist Women Organization Members of Dunton United Methodist Men Organization With heartfelt humility and profound gratitude, we wish to extend our thanks to each of you who was there to comfort us during the loss of our beloved one, Mrs. Esther Nell Knuckles Glymph Witherspoon. Special thanks to Ms. Gloria Jackson, Mrs. Jo McRant, Mrs. Christine Robinson and Francis Burns, I.D. Newman and Dunton United Methodist Churches. Your many expressions of kindness extended to us are deeply appreciated. May our God bless and richly reward you for your acts of love and compassion. Arrangements Entrusted To jfoster jfuneral J!)ome 312 North Petty Street, Gaffney, South Carolina Phone: (864) 489-2422- FAX: (864) 487-7474